HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN The sustained attention of United Nations has provided opportunities for human rights improvement in Iran, but the situation in the country remains dire.

THE DEATH PENALTY in public. Most executions are for nonviolent Iran remains the world leader in executions per drug-related o enses, which is not permitted under capita. Capital o ense trials consistently fail to meet international law. Authorities also continue to fair trial standards. Some executions are carried out execute juveniles yearly.

1,000 All Executions 676 580 687 753 972 530 432 900 Projected 575 800 total executions 700 in 2017 600 500 400 300 200 Public Execution 65 60 59 53 57 33 25 100 509 439 331 367 642 296 224 Drug O ense 0 7 4 9 12 4 5 5 Juvenile Execution

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 (Till August)

SOURCE: IRAN HUMAN RIGHTS Evidence of International Impact Cases of Note United Nations human rights bodies have spoken out strongly On 14 September 2016, an appeals court upheld a death against the death penalty for drug-related o enses in Iran, sentence against Sina Dehghan for allegedly “insulting which account for approximately 60% of executions in the the Prophet” of Islam on a messaging application. country. In July 2017, Iran’s parliament passed an amendment to Dehghan claimed his confession and expressions of remorse were spurred by interrogators telling him these the drug law which, if approved and implemented, would actions would lead to a pardon eliminate the death penalty for a large number of drug-related o enses. The amendment must now be approved by Iran’s On 10 August 2017 authorities executed Alireza Tajiki Guardian Council. for a homicide and rape he reportedly committed when he was 15 years old. His trial was grossly unfair, relying on confessions allegedly coerced through severe beatings and suspension torture. FREE EXPRESSION, RELIGION, AND ARBITRARY DETENTIONS On 18 October 2016, an appeals court upheld a six-year National laws and practices continue to severely sentence for Esmail Abdi for his work as the head of the Iranian Teachers Union. Abdi helped restrict fundamental freedoms, especially the right organize several strikes to protest low teachers' wages. to freedoms of expression and religion. Journalists, social media activists, human rights defenders, and religious practitioners continue to be harassed, Evidence of International Impact detained, and sentenced to harsh prison terms for On 10 July 2017, aer the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran raised concern, authorities provided emergency medical criticizing the government or their expressing options care for human rights defender Arash Sadeghi. Sadeghi was in and beliefs. critical condition aer a more than month long hunger strike protesting the arbitrary detention of his wife. Authorities had previously blocked Sadeghi’s medical care

13 Dual Nationals 29 Journalists 127 Political Opposition

6 Writers 29 HR 99 Religious 403 Political Prisoners Denied of Fair Trial & Artists Activists Practitioners

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 729 800

SOURCE: IRAN PRISON ATLAS WOMEN’S RIGHTS Women’s rights within the education system and As a result of laws and state police, women in Iran marriage are not equal to men. Women continue to continue to experience discrimination in most have dramatically low levels of economic aspects of public and private life. and political participation.

Women in Government Women and Unemployment

▶    The Guardian Council blocked all women Unemployment Women Men Rate (Overall) candidates from running in the 2017 17 Bachelor’s presidential election. Rouhani Degree appointed no women to his cabinet. Economic Participation /289 Master’s Seats held by women ▶  Women are not legally Degree in Parliament allowed to be judges in Iran PhD 64.9% 15.9% ▶   During the 2017 elections, women made % 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 up 18,000 of 269,000 candidates for city or village o ice.

Results were mixed: SOURCE: HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Number of World Economic Forum Gender Gap Index in Iran 2016 415 ▼ 34% ▼ women elected to public o ice Women elected Decrease in the The Global Gender Gap Index is an index decreased in 16 to o ice in number of women 16 designed to measure gender equality in 98/144 provincial Health and Survival Sistan- elected to city 144 major and emerging economies. capitals. Balochistan councils compared ▲ It increased in 11, to the 2013 elections 11 including Tehran. 94/144 140/144 136/144 Educational Economic Political Attainment Participation Empowerment

CHILD MARRIAGE

4,00,000 Child Marriage Records

3,50,000  - ,     3,00,000 36,938 Recorded marriages involved 2,50,000 BOYS 15-19 17% 3% Iranian girls Iranian girls under the age of 15 2,00,000 were married girls were before the married 196,592 1,50,000 age of 18 by 15 recorded marriages involved girls under the aged 15-19 1,00,000 GIRLS 15-19 50,000

0 GIRLS 10-14 Evidence of International Impact The international community at Iran’s Universal Periodic Review 220 187 201 176 179 GIRLS >10 and the Special Rapporteur on Iran has repeatedly raised alarm at 742 359 313 321 314 BOYS >15 Iran’s child marriage rate. As a result, several members of 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Parliament have begun draing a law that would raise the minimum age of marriage in Iran.

SOURCE: IRANIAN STATISTICS ORGANIZATION