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UPDATE: 9:00 PM CEST
Iran: UN Experts Alarmed by Surge in Executions, Demand Moratorium on Death Penalty
GENEVA – UN experts* today expressed alarm over a surge in executions during the month of August 2024 and urged the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately stop the execution of people facing the death penalty.
At least 81 individuals were executed in August, twice as many as the 45 executions reported in July, based on information received by the experts. The reported number of executions this year has risen to above 400 individuals, among them 15 women.
“We are deeply concerned by this sharp rise in executions. According to information received, of the 81 executions in August, only a fraction is officially reported by the Islamic Republic of Iran, highlighting the urgent need for transparency,” they said.
UK Imposes Financial Sanctions on Iranian Entities
On Monday, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) and HM Treasury announced new financial sanctions against individuals and entities linked to Iran following updates to the UK Sanctions List, APA reports citing foreign media. The sanctions specifically target individuals and groups involved in human rights violations in Iran, as well as hostile activities conducted by the Iranian government or affiliated armed groups.
The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office updated the UK Sanctions List, detailing the individuals and groups now subject to these sanctions. The newly sanctioned are Abdolfatah Ahvazian, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF) Unit 700, Behnam Shahriyari, and Hamid Fazeli.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CEST
Iranian Regime Insiders Warn About Growing Discontent And Imbalances
Protests by people frustrated with the electricity crisis, which has disrupted lives across various parts of Iran, have sounded alarms among regime officials and insiders. This comes as the voices of different segments of society demanding their plundered rights are growing louder.
In the past few days, there were reports of ongoing protests by nurses, workers, farmers, and retirees against the destructive policies of the clerical regime continued in various cities. Protest rallies over power outages were held in Larestan, Jajrud, Khorramdasht, Dolatabad, and Tehran. In Kashan, a group of merchants closed their shops in protest of the power cuts, workers in Tabas and Ilam staged protests, and the 32nd day of protest marches and rallies by Wagon Pars Company workers continued.
The Alarming Decline of Education in Iran
On September 1, the state-run Ham Mihan newspaper published a report titled “Disaster of Illiteracy,” shedding light on the alarming rise in illiteracy rates among students in Iran. The report specifically focused on the dire situation in the provinces of Sistan and Baluchistan, South Khorasan, and Khuzestan. This investigation revealed that the educational crisis is not confined to these regions alone, but is a pervasive issue across the entire nation.
The report begins by referencing an official document that highlights the average final grades across various provinces, painting a bleak picture of the country’s educational standards. The data reveals a significant decline in academic performance nationwide, with several provinces, such as Sistan and Baluchistan, Kerman, Hormozgan, Fars, Bushehr, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Lorestan, Ilam, Kermanshah, Kurdistan, West Azerbaijan, Gilan, Golestan, North Khorasan, and Khuzestan, recording average final exam scores below 10 in all theoretical subjects.
The Exploitative Reality of Iranian Prisons: An Examination of Contemporary Slavery
The Iranian regime has turned its prisons into centers of exploitation, where thousands of prisoners are subjected to inhumane labor practices. Under the guise of prison administration, the regime harnesses this forced labor for substantial financial gain, treating prisoners as a cheap, expendable workforce. This grave abuse has garnered international attention, with the United Nations recently highlighting these practices as a stark example of modern slavery.
On August 28, the United Nations website published a written statement submitted by a non-governmental organization, condemning the Iranian regime’s use of prisoners as forced labor. The UN report categorizes this exploitation as one of the most blatant forms of contemporary slavery, shedding light on the horrific conditions faced by prisoners in Iran.
Iran’s Regime Stresses On “No Deviation” In Nuclear Program
Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization stated on the evening of Saturday, August 31: “There is no deviation in our nuclear program, and we have the authority to accept or reject inspections and to prevent inspectors from entering the country.”
Eslami stated, “We are monitored by the agency, and cameras and inspectors observe our activities daily, unannounced, and regularly,” noting that “the cutting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) access to inspection cameras at Iran’s nuclear sites is related to the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), because according to the JCPOA, if the other party does not fulfill its commitments, we must also reduce our commitments.”
Inside Iran’s Hackers Operation That Has US Officials on Edge Ahead of the 2024 Election
In recent years, major companies like Microsoft and Google, as well as government organizations such as NATO, the Pentagon, and the U.S. Election Management, have reported cyberattacks from Iranian hackers. These hackers, linked to the Iranian government, target journalists, researchers, academics, and individuals with views on security and political issues, directing them to higher-level sources. Their motives include seeking ransom or acquiring information on political and war strategies, analyses, and plans for attacks and counterattacks.
Their hacking methods often start with simple but varied initial actions. A common technique involves sending deceptive links or forms designed to trick individuals into revealing personal information, such as passwords. In some countries, hackers first send messages from emails that closely resemble the target’s email, perhaps with just a minor alteration, to build trust before sending a malicious link.
MEK Supporters Rally in Brussels to Mark the Anniversary of the People’s Mojahedin Organization’s Founding
Freedom-loving Iranians and supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) gathered in Brussels, Belgium on August 31, 2024, to commemorate the beginning of the 60th year since the MEK‘s establishment.