NICOSIA: Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday urged authorities in Iran to release immediately and unconditionally dozens of prisoners jailed in a northern city “for exercising their basic rights.”
In a lengthy report, the New York-based body studied the cases of 189 people locked up in Karaj, 50 kilometers west of the capital Tehran.
HRW said that in 63 cases prisoners had been arrested, convicted and sentenced “solely because they exercised fundamental rights such as free speech and rights to peaceful assembly or association.”
In 35 other cases, in which prisoners had been sentenced to death for terrorism-related offenses, the group said it suspected “egregious” due process violations that may have tainted the judicial process.
“The election of a new, avowedly moderate president a year ago raised hopes that many of Iran’s political prisoners would soon walk free, but many remain behind bars,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at HRW.
Iran is imprisoning dozens unlawfully, claims HRW
Iran is imprisoning dozens unlawfully, claims HRW
