Regime Fears 'Political' Funerals in Aftermath of Crackdown
July 13 -- Almost a month after he disappeared from a political rally, the body of 19 year-old protester Sohrab Arabi was returned to his family. According to Arabi's aunt, he died of a bullet to the heart. "No explanation was made to our family about Sohrab's death," she told Radio Farda. "They just asked us not to make the funeral 'political.'" [read in English or Farsi]
Plainclothes Agent Admits to Using Violence Against 'Agitators'
July 15 -- Radio Farda aired an exclusive interview with Reza, a 21-year-old plainclothes security agent involved in Iran's post-election protests. He admitted to confronting "those whom you call protesters, and I call agitators," but denied carrying pepper spray or tear gas. [listen in Farsi]
Iranians Mark 10th Anniversary of Student Protests
July 9 -- Despite police threats to "crush any attempt to protest," people took to the streets of Tehran on the 10th anniversary of a police raid on a Tehran student dorm that sparked violent unrest. An eyewitness reported chants of "Coup d'etat government, resign!" "The police kept firing tear gas to disperse the protesters, but to no avail," said a 52-year-old man who claimed to have been beaten with a baton. Another witness said 15- and 16-year-old members of the Basij militia beat elderly people. [read in English or Farsi]
Top Clerics Distancing Themselves from Supreme Leader
July 13 -- After supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared there was no fraud in last month's presidential election, top clerics have either kept silent or shown their dissent in various ways, the son of the late Grand Ayatollah Kazem Shariatmadari told Radio Farda. [read in English or Farsi]
Government Targets Human Rights Lawyers
July 9 -- Iran's judiciary recently enacted a law allowing it to revoke attorney licenses at its discretion. A prominent Tehran lawyer told Radio Farda that, "This new law aims at making lawyers bow to the judiciary for fear of losing their licenses." [read in Farsi]
July 14 -- Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, an attorney who co-founded Defenders of Human Rights, was arrested on July 8. His lawyer said his whereabouts and condition are still unknown. "Dadkhah worked pro bono, mostly defending students," he said. [read in Farsi]
Iranian-American Scholar Arrested (Again)
July 12 -- Kian Tajbakhsh, who was arrested two years ago and released on bail after four months, was arrested at his home earlier this month without a warrant. [read in Farsi]