Human rights violations

Sexual abuse in Iranian prisons sharply rises as population repression increases during ceasefire

One young woman told The Media Line that she was sexually assaulted during interrogation, and that heavily-built officers used batons to carry out the abuse. 

|ByOMID HABIBINIA/THE MEDIA LINE
THREE WOMEN - Sharifeh Mohammadi, Pakhshan Azizi, and Varisheh Moradi - are at risk of death following the confirmation of their death sentences.
A security guard stands on a street, during early hours of ceasefire, in Tehran, Iran, June 24, 2025.

Iranian security agents allegedly raped, tortured nurses detained for treating protesters - report

The women were among medical staff at Tehran’s Rajaei Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center who treated injured demonstrators during nationwide protests in late December and early January.

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
A Human Rights Watch flag is pictured on the Mont-Blanc bridge in Geneva, Switzerland, November 7, 2024.

Human Rights researchers resign over ‘pulled’ report accusing Israel of 'crimes against humanity'

HRW said they concluded “aspects of the research and the factual basis for our legal conclusions needed to be strengthened to meet Human Rights Watch’s high standards.”

|ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD
Illustrative People step on an Iranian flag at a march in support of nationwide protests in Iran, Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 18, 2026.

Child among protesters sexually assaulted in Iran, rights group says

HRW and Amnesty warn that Tehran uses rape, sexual violence, and torture to suppress dissent, continuing a pattern of violence following previous protests.

|ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD

Taliban orders high schools to remain closed to girls

The Taliban is seeking to run the country according to its interpretation of Islamic law.

MARCH 23, 2022ByREUTERS
Women protest outside the Arg Presidential Office in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Hacker group leaks footage, files from Iranian prisons

Video posted to an Instagram account which claims to be the official account of the "Edalat Ali" hacker group showed footage allegedly from a control room in Iran's Ghezel Hesar Prison.

FEBRUARY 8, 2022ByTZVI JOFFRE
Iran's Ghezel Hesar Prison

Boycott Winter Olympics in China - opinion

Calls to boycott the Winter Olympics in China have been growing due to China's egregious human rights violations.

NOVEMBER 1, 2021ByEMILY SCHRADER
DISPLAY OF the 100-day countdown to the opening of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing last week.

Has NSO finally been caught violating human rights?

Human-rights groups and governments alike have investigated NSO for alleged human rights violations using its technology known as The Pegasus Project. Is this the final straw?

JULY 20, 2021ByZEV STUB
Computer hacking (illustrative)

Massive data leak uncovers human rights abuses using Israeli tech - report

The leak contains a list of over 50,000 phone numbers that the report estimated were identified as “people of interest” by clients of Israeli spyware company NSO Group since 2016.

JULY 19, 2021ByIDAN ZONSHINE, REUTERS
SECURITY SURVEILLANCE monitors. Privacy advocates argue that even if the official transfer of data does not identify individuals, anyone who wants to abuse the information to invade an individual’s privacy can do so with ease

Belarus police raid activists' offices, homes, rights groups say

Authorities have moved to shut down non-state media outlets and human rights groups after mass protests last August against a presidential election the opposition said was rigged.

JULY 14, 2021ByREUTERS
Belarusian law enforcement officers detain a woman during an opposition rally to reject the presidential election results and to protest against the inauguration of President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk, Belarus September 26, 2020.

EU Parliament seeks sanctions on Iran officials for human rights abuse

Lawmaker wants Iranian regime president Raisi investigated for crimes against humanity

JULY 10, 2021ByBENJAMIN WEINTHAL
MEPs take part in a voting session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg

Hungary could be sanctioned over anti-LGBT+ law, warns EU equality chief

The move, which critics say wrongly conflates pedophilia with LGBT issues, triggered a mass rally outside parliament on Monday, while several rights groups have called on Fidesz to withdraw the bill.

JUNE 15, 2021ByREUTERS
Demonstrators protest against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the latest anti-LGBTQ law in Budapest, Hungary, June 14, 2021.

Delegitimizing Israel has become a mainstream pastime - opinion

The Human Rights Watch report accusing Israel of apartheid could have a negative impact on the Jewish state's international legacy.

MAY 3, 2021ByMICHAEL FENENBOCK
Jose Miguel Vivanco, director of Human Rights Watch Americas, holds up a report while addressing the media in Bogota

Jailed Kremlin critic Navalny reveals terrible treatment in prison

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny claimed that his health has greatly deteriorated and he was being prevented from seeing a doctor and sleeping by prison guards, a practice he likened to torture.

MARCH 25, 2021ByREUTERS
People participate in a demonstration after Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was sentenced to three and a half years in jail, in Moscow, Russia February 2, 2021.