Greater Middle East

Bahrain: ‘total suppression’ of human rights

A court in Bahrain dissolved the main opposition political party, an act Amnesty International said is a step toward the "total suppression of human rights" in the Persian Gulf monarchy.

Greater Middle East

Abused women forcibly deported to Saudi Arabia

Two sisters abused by their family in Saudi Arabia were deported by Turkey—despite their asylum bid and fears they will be tortured or even executed by Saudi authorities.

East Asia

Global execution stats: good news, bad news

The latest Amnesty International report on global use of the death penalty shows a decline last year—but China's massive statistics are kept secret and therefore not factored in.

Greater Middle East

Jordan: rights groups condemn mass execution

In response to the mass execution of 15 prisoners in Jordan, human rights groups condemned the hangings as secretive and conducted "without transparency."

Iran

Iran: outrage over mass execution

International outrage over the mounting wave of executions in Iran reached another milestone when 12 drug convicts were hanged at Karaj Central Prison outside Tehran.

Iraq

Iraq hangs 36 for Camp Speicher massacre

Iraqi authorities carried out the hanging of 36 accused ISIS militants convicted in the 2014 Camp Speicher massacre—but rights groups said the trials failed to meet judicial standards.

Iran

Global executions surge —yet again

Amnesty International's annual report on the death penalty again notes an alarming surge in the number of executions worldwide—now reaching the highest total since 1989.

Iran
minga

minga

Eight environmental activists arbitrarily detained in Iran in January and February remain in detention eight months later without clear charges, Human Rights Watch said. The organization called upon Iranian authorities to either immediately release them or charge them with recognizable crimes and produce evidence to justify their continued detention. The detained are all members of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation. The public prosecutor for Tehran told reporters after the arrests that the detained are accused of using environmental projects as a cover to collect classified strategic information. It is unclear what classified information they could potentially collect, as their organization says it only works to conserve and protect Iran's flora and fauna, including the Asiatic cheetah, an endangered species in Iran. Other sources indicated they have been accused of "sowing corruption on earth," a serious charge that carries the risk of execution. (Image via HRW)