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Recent crackdowns against Iran’s Baloch minority in Iran
Recent crackdowns against Iran’s Baloch minority in Iran
The Washington Institute July 8, 2026
The Washington Institute reports that following the ceasefire between Iran, the United States, and Israel, the Iranian regime has intensified its crackdown on the Baloch minority in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. Rather than easing domestic pressure after the war, authorities appear to be using the post-war environment as a justification for expanding political repression and demonstrating state power over one of Iran’s most marginalized ethnic communities.
For decades, the Baloch people have endured deep political, economic, and social discrimination. Although Baluchestan is rich in natural resources, it remains Iran’s poorest province, with the country’s highest unemployment rate and chronic underdevelopment. Most Baloch families have seen little benefit from the region’s wealth, while environmental degradation and poverty continue to worsen.
The article explains that Tehran routinely portrays its security operations in the province as efforts to combat terrorism, smuggling, and border insecurity. However, many Baloch believe these justifications are increasingly used to silence peaceful dissent and suppress legitimate demands for equal rights, economic justice, and political representation. The war has provided the authorities with another opportunity to intensify this long-standing policy.
A major source of tension has been the exploitation of Baluchestan’s mineral resources. Residents argue that while billions of tomans are invested in mining projects, local communities receive almost none of the economic benefits. Instead, they bear the environmental costs through damaged farmland, depleted water resources, and the destruction of traditional livelihoods. These grievances have fueled growing public frustration, particularly around the Taftan gold mine and the Pashmoki chromite mine.
In June 2026, Baloch women organized peaceful demonstrations demanding transparency, environmental protection, and a fair share of the region’s natural wealth. Instead of engaging with the protesters, Iranian security forces reportedly responded with violence. Videos circulating on social media showed women being beaten, pushed to the ground, dragged by security personnel, and arrested. At least eight women were injured, including one who reportedly suffered a miscarriage following the assault. Several protesters were detained. These scenes generated widespread outrage across the Baloch community and quickly became symbols of resistance against injustice.
The article emphasizes that the protests were not driven by separatism or violence. Rather, they reflected demands for basic rights: protection of the environment, accountability, economic inclusion, and respect for local communities. Yet the authorities treated these peaceful demonstrations as security threats, reinforcing the perception that even lawful civic activism is met with repression.
Religious leaders, tribal elders, and prominent Baloch figures strongly condemned the violence against the women. Sheikh Maulana Abdolhamid, the most influential Sunni cleric in the province, called on the authorities to investigate the abuses and listen to the legitimate demands of the protesters. Other respected religious scholars and tribal leaders warned that continued humiliation of Baloch women would only deepen public anger and increase tensions in the region.
Although provincial judicial authorities announced investigations after public criticism intensified, the author notes that previous cases involving serious human rights violations—including the 2022 “Bloody Friday” massacre in Zahedan—have rarely resulted in accountability. This long-standing culture of impunity has weakened public confidence in official promises of justice.
Despite severe restrictions on freedom of expression, the article concludes that recent events have strengthened solidarity among the Baloch people. The protests have renewed public debate about equal citizenship, fair distribution of resources, and the protection of fundamental human rights. The courage shown by Baloch women has become a powerful reminder that peaceful demands for dignity and justice cannot be permanently silenced through intimidation or force.
The report ultimately warns that unless the Iranian government addresses systemic discrimination, respects the rights of ethnic minorities, and allows local communities to benefit from their own natural resources, repression alone will not bring stability. Instead, continued exclusion and violence risk generating broader unrest and deepening the divide between the state and the Baloch population.
Read the maim article: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/after-war-crackdown-irans-sistan-baluchestan-province?utm_source=chatgpt.com
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Escalating Crackdown on Women: Five Prison Sentences and One Death Sentence Issued in Recent Days
Escalating Crackdown on Women:
Five Prison Sentences and One Death Sentence Issued in Recent DaysHrana 6, 2026
A review of judicial rulings issued over the past week shows that between June 27 and July 4, 2026, at least five women facing political charges in Iran received court verdicts amounting to one death sentence and a total of 14 years’ imprisonment. Among them, Arghavan Fallahi was sentenced to death, while Elham Zeraatpisheh, Parnian (Fatemeh) Hashempour, Azadeh Saleki, and Negin Kiani were sentenced to prison terms.
According to HRANA, the rulings issued during the period from June 27 to July 4, 2026, indicate a continued judicial crackdown on women involved in political and ideological cases.
The five women come from diverse professional backgrounds, including a lawyer, a teacher, a documentary social photographer, a graduate of archaeology, and political and civil activists. The charges brought against them primarily include “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” In one case, Arghavan Fallahi was sentenced to death on the charge of “baghi” (armed rebellion).
Of the five women, Arghavan Fallahi, Parnian (Fatemeh) Hashempour, and Negin Kiani are currently imprisoned, while Elham Zeraatpisheh and Azadeh Saleki have been temporarily released on bail.
Details of the cases and the sentences are as follows:
- Arghavan Fallahi
Arghavan Fallahi, 24, was arrested in Tehran in early January 2025 and transferred to Evin Prison by security forces. Following months of interrogation and judicial proceedings, Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, sentenced her to death on the charge of “baghi” (armed rebellion), one of the harshest rulings issued during the reporting period.
She had previously been arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests and was later released after serving her sentence.
- Elham Zeraatpisheh
Elham Zeraatpisheh, a lawyer and member of the Fars Bar Association, was arrested in May 4, 2026 near the Shiraz Office for the Enforcement of Judgments.
According to a verdict served on her on July 3, 2026, the Shiraz Revolutionary Court sentenced her to five years in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security” and one additional year for “propaganda against the regime.” The court also imposed a two-year travel ban and ordered the revocation of her passport.
Ms. Zeraatpisheh has previously faced judicial action in connection with her professional activities.
- Parnian (Fatemeh) Hashempour
Parnian (Fatemeh) Hashempour, who holds a master’s degree in archaeology, was arrested in connection with the January 2026 nationwide protests. After spending several days in solitary confinement, she was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison on December 31, 2025.
On June 27, 2026, the Court of Appeals sentenced her to two years in prison on the charge of assembly and collusion.
She had originally been sentenced to five years in prison by the Revolutionary Court. Ms. Hashempour was also arrested and convicted in 2022 before later being released.
- Azadeh Saleki
Azadeh Saleki, a teacher in Khaf, was arrested during the January 2026 protests and was temporarily released approximately one month later after posting 30 billion rials (three billion tomans) in bail.
On June 30, 2026, the Khorasan Razavi Province Court of Appeals sentenced her to five years in prison, reducing her original 10-year sentence issued by the lower court.
In 2022, she was suspended from her teaching position for one month because of her statements and civil activities and was subsequently transferred from Torbat-e Heydarieh to Khaf.
- Negin Kiani
Negin Kiani, aged approximately 37, is a Tehran-based documentary social photographer.
She was arrested by security forces at her family home in Babol on April 8, 2026, and was released on bail the following day.
On June 27, 2026, Branch One of the Babol Revolutionary Court sentenced her to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”
She has previously been summoned and subjected to judicial action on multiple occasions due to her civil activities.
Escalating Crackdown on Women: Five Prison Sentences and One Death Sentence Issued in Recent Days
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Iran persecutes its Baha’i minority fiercely in a year of protests and war, rights groups say
Iran persecutes its Baha’i minority fiercely
in a year of protests and war, rights groups say
Associated Press Author: Fatma Khaled July 13, 2026
The Associated Press reports that Iran has sharply intensified its persecution of the Baha’i community during 2026, amid nationwide protests and the war involving the United States and Israel. Human rights organizations describe this as one of the most severe crackdowns on Iran’s largest non-Muslim religious minority in recent years.
According to the report, dozens of Baha’is have been arrested since January because of their faith. Security forces allegedly raided homes, desecrated Baha’i holy books and religious symbols, and confiscated personal property. Rights groups also report widespread abuse in detention, including prolonged solitary confinement, electric shocks, mock executions, food deprivation, and forced confessions to crimes carrying the death penalty.
The article says the crackdown forms part of a broader campaign of repression following nationwide protests that have resulted in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests. Iranian officials did not respond to AP’s requests for comment regarding the treatment of Baha’is.
A central focus of the report is Peyvand Naimi, a Baha’i prisoner who has remained in custody for more than six months. His family says he was arrested before the killings he is accused of committing and insists no credible evidence has been presented against him. Amnesty International also questioned the timeline of the government’s allegations.
State television later broadcast what authorities described as Naimi’s confession, but his family says it was obtained under torture. According to the Baha’i International Community, he spent more than two months in solitary confinement and was later accused of celebrating the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei despite having no access to outside information. Although a judge reportedly ordered his release, prosecutors refused to free him, allegedly telling his family that “the Baha’is will not be released.”
The report notes that Baha’is have faced systematic persecution in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, including executions, imprisonment, confiscation of property, and restrictions on education and employment. Despite decades of discrimination, an estimated 300,000 Baha’is continue to live in Iran.
The Baha’i International Community reported that at least 63 Baha’is were imprisoned as of June 11, although the actual number is believed to be higher because many families fear speaking publicly.
The Associated Press also highlights the government’s propaganda campaign against Baha’is. State media have accused them of spying for Israel and undermining the Islamic Republic. During a public exhibition in Mazandaran Province, officials reportedly described Baha’is as “spies” and argued they should not be allowed to own property.
The article concludes with the case of Behzad Basiri, whose family says Revolutionary Guard agents arrested him without charge, damaged Baha’i religious books during a house raid, and also detained his wife, Mandana Sotoudeh, and her sister, Mahsa Sotoudeh. Although all three were eventually released on bail, legal proceedings continue.
Human rights advocates quoted by AP argue that the campaign against Baha’is is intended not only to suppress a religious minority but also to intimidate Iranian society as a whole during a period of political unrest and conflict.
Read full article: https://apnews.com/article/iran-bahai-faith-persecution-protests-war-dbeb8abf63111acff77d235b242cf6b4
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NY Post – Iran trying to evict Christians from oldest Protestant church in Tehran — as Islamist regime cracks down
Iran trying to evict Christians from oldest Protestant church in Tehran — as Islamist regime cracks down
New York Post – By Ronny Reyes July 1, 2026
Iran has threatened to seize Tehran’s historic St. Peter Evangelical Church and evict the 20 families who call the temple their home, according to multiple reports.
The move against the church, which has already had part of its property taken by the regime, appears to be in direct retaliation over the war with the US and Israel, said Sasan Tavassoli, an Iranian Presbyterian pastor in the US with direct contacts at St. Peter.
“I will tell you the literal words they used, ‘We were concerned about America all these years. America came. They slapped us on the face. We slapped them on the face back. And then America withdrew. So we are no longer afraid of America,’” Tavassoli told The Free Press.
It’s the Islamist regime’s latest crackdown on other faiths in the nation of 93 million people following the mass street protests and the war with the US and Israel.
St. Peter was founded by American Presbyterian missionaries in 1872, with the compound serving as a home for low-income Christian families who have lived there for years.
The orders to take the church came under the state-affiliated Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order group, which is issuing a new deed for the church through the regime, according to a letter by Sargez Benyamin, executive secretary of the Synod of the Evangelical Church of Iran in Diaspora.
Authorities have allegedly already seized a 2.5-square-acre garden from the church, which is being occupied by four officials with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Benyamin, a former pastor at the temple who now lives in exile, said the church has no legal recourse against the regime, which has refused to renew their operating license.
“In Iran, you don’t have an independent court. So it would not be possible for us to fight back, to start a legal fight and bring back our documents because they confiscated our documents, our properties, and they issued new documents in the name of this organization under supreme leader,” he told The Free Press.
Tavassoli said that given the church’s American origins, it has become the perfect target for the regime, adding that the property itself is worth “tens of millions of dollars.”
The outcome is just what church officials feared when Iran judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i hailed a court ruling allowing the regime to seize American assets in the country, diaspora site Iran International reported.
Tavassoli added that members of Tehran’s security forces have already gone into the church to “identify” people in a lead-up to the eventual eviction of its residents.
“They said they’ll return later to evacuate those living on the premises and take over,” he told Iran International.
Benyamin warned that the 20 families living in the church have no chance of survival without the temple’s support, adding that the worshippers face arrest if they do not leave St. Peter.
Church leaders and allies abroad are calling for international aid and pressure to save the temple and the families living inside.
Iran has repeatedly launched crackdowns on religious minorities within the Islamic republic, with the Center for Human Rights in Iran group recording more than 300 arrests of Christians in 2024.
Hadi Ghaemi, the executive director of CHRI, warned that Christians were hit with national security charges that he dubbed “absurd” for the sole reason to stop them from practicing their father.
At least 96 Christians prosecuted that year were hit with sentences of a combined 263 years in prison, according to CHRI.
Iran had stepped up its repression of minority groups, including Baha’i, Christians, and Jews, last year.
Amnesty International recorded dozens of cases against individuals from these communities being hit with bogus charges and having their properties raided and seized in 2025.
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They beat me until I lost consciousness: growing reports of brutal arrests, torture and deaths in Iran’s prisons
They beat me until I lost consciousness:
growing reports of brutal arrests, torture and deaths in Iran’s prisonsThe Guardian Author: Deepa Parent Wednesday, 3 June 2026
Summary
This Guardian investigation documents a growing number of testimonies from political prisoners, journalists, activists, and their families describing severe abuses in Iran’s detention system following the January protests and the broader crackdown that intensified after the outbreak of war. As internet restrictions in Iran have eased, more accounts of torture, mistreatment, and deaths in custody have emerged.
The report highlights the case of Hamid Asefi, a 63-year-old Iranian writer who says intelligence agents violently arrested him at his Tehran apartment. After requesting to see an arrest warrant, he alleges that officers severely beat him, causing him to lose consciousness. Although authorities later claimed his arrest had been an administrative mistake, Asefi was hospitalized weeks later after doctors discovered extensive brain bleeding requiring surgery.
According to Amnesty International, Iranian authorities have subjected detainees to torture and other forms of ill-treatment since late February. Documented abuses include mock executions, severe beatings, suspension by hands and feet, prolonged solitary confinement, and denial of food and medical treatment.
The article also details the experience of Mehnaz, a 23-year-old protester detained over anti-government social media activity. She reports enduring prolonged interrogations, deprivation of food and water, and losing eight kilograms during more than two weeks in detention at Qarchak Prison. She describes severe overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and the lack of adequate medical care for female prisoners.
The report further examines the case of Hesam Alaeddin, a 40-year-old father of two who disappeared into Iran’s prison system after his arrest during a search for Starlink devices. Family members allege that he was severely beaten during his arrest in front of his young daughters. Weeks later, authorities informed the family to collect his body. Relatives claim his remains showed extensive injuries consistent with fatal abuse in custody.
Other testimonies reveal violent arrest methods by masked security agents. Mojgan, a Tehran-based rights activist, stated that officers beat her during arrest, causing injuries including a broken toe, apparently to intimidate and terrorize detainees.
The article also focuses on the case of journalist Vida Rabbani, who was arrested after signing a statement condemning the government’s crackdown on protests. According to her lawyer and husband, Rabbani suffered severe beatings in detention. She reports that authorities forcibly attempted to impose hijab compliance, pulling out her hair during assaults. Rabbani further alleges that she experienced sexual violence and physical abuse by an interrogator. Following her release, she continues to suffer from panic attacks, insomnia, and psychological trauma.
Many former detainees interviewed by The Guardian emphasized that security agents often use methods designed to inflict severe psychological and physical pain while minimizing visible evidence of abuse. Survivors describe long-lasting emotional consequences requiring ongoing medical and psychological treatment.
Overall, the report portrays a pattern of escalating repression inside Iran’s prison system, with allegations of torture, starvation, medical neglect, sexual abuse, and deaths in custody. Human rights organizations continue to call for independent investigations and international scrutiny of Iran’s treatment of detainees and political prisoners.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jun/03/reports-brutal-arrests-torture-deaths-iran-prisons?utm_source=chatgpt.com
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Persian-speaking Evangelical church demolished in Mashhad
Persian-speaking Evangelical church demolished in MashhadArticle 18 – June 8, 2026
An Evangelical church in Mashhad has been demolished, without warning or explanation.
The church, which once offered Persian-speaking services before its forced closure more than two decades ago, was demolished on the morning of 4 June.
It is one of several churches to have been demolished or repurposed in recent years, such as the Adventist church in Tehran and Assemblies of God Church in Gorgan.
The church, which was Presbyterian, was once one of two churches to offer Persian-language services in the conservative city, but both were forced to close years ago. The other church was the Assemblies of God Church once pastored by Rev Hossein Soodmand, a Christian convert who was executed for his “apostasy” in 1990.
A former member of the Mashhad Evangelical Church, Rev Mansour Khajehpour, told Article18 about his memories of the church:
“The Mashhad church building was a holy and blessed building,” he said. “The lives of many people were changed in this church.
“During the eight years of the Iran-Iraq war, the church was a safe haven for fellow Christians fleeing war-torn areas. This church was active in many services to the people of Mashhad.
“Over the years, it was a safe haven for many. I myself took refuge in the church when my father kicked me out of my home because I converted to Christianity. I converted to faith and was baptised in that church, but today the building no longer exists.
“It has been reported that the building was ‘abandoned’ and ‘uninhabited’, but this was not by chance. Government officials had expelled the Christians from this church and even the caretaker. About 25 years ago, people affiliated with security agencies attempted to destroy the church by deliberately starting a fire, but fortunately it was contained.
“In 1981, when I entered the Evangelical Church of Mashhad, our city had only two Persian-speaking churches, but today, there are many underground churches in the city. At that time, the population of both Persian-speaking Christian churches probably did not reach 100 people. But today, thousands of Christians are present and active in service in this city.”
The Synod of the Evangelical Church of Iran in the Diaspora also released a statement on the church’s destruction, which said: “We were deeply saddened to hear this news. The idea of destroying a Christian place of worship in the third decade of the third millennium and depriving them of a small four-walled building for worship is difficult, but it is a bitter reality in our time.
“We, the Evangelical Christians of Iran, have always loved and respected our dear compatriots and our country… We have rejoiced with their happiness, mourned with their sorrow, and always prayed for their blessings, and now we are being disgracefully punished and deprived of a humble room for worship.”
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Death sentences and executions 2025
Death sentences and executions 2025
Amnesty International May 18, 2026Amnesty International’s 2025 report on death sentences and executions records a dramatic global rise in the use of capital punishment, with 2,707 executions documented in 17 countries—an increase of 78% compared with 1,518 in 2024. This total excludes China, where executions are believed to remain in the thousands but are treated as state secrets.
Iran was responsible for at least 1,190 executions in 2025, accounting for approximately 44% of all recorded executions worldwide. Amnesty International states that Iran remained one of the world’s leading executioners, with authorities increasingly using the death penalty as a tool of repression. Many executions were linked to drug-related offences, contrary to international human rights standards, which restrict capital punishment to the “most serious crimes.”
The report highlights the disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, particularly the Baluch ethnic minority, who represented a disturbingly high percentage of those executed in drug-related cases. Amnesty also condemned Iran’s continued violations of fair trial guarantees, including coerced confessions and politically motivated prosecutions.
Beyond executions, Amnesty documented the broader persecution of religious minorities, including Baha’is, alongside severe repression of dissent, civil society, and political opposition. The findings reinforce concerns that the Iranian authorities continue to use state violence systematically to silence and intimidate the population.
Official Amnesty report: -
World Medical Association calls for urgent medical care for Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi
World Medical Association calls for urgent medical care for Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi
May 6th, 2026
The World Medical Association expresses its deep concern over the reported critical health condition of imprisoned human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who is still being held in detention.
According to recent reports from her family and foundation, Narges Mohammadi has suffered a severe deterioration in her health, including a cardiac crisis. Her condition follows months of reported denial of timely and adequate specialised medical care, despite a known history of serious cardiovascular illness. Medical assessments from a local cardiologist indicate that she requires urgent treatment and should be transferred without delay to a specialised medical facility in Tehran.
“I am deeply concerned by the reports on Narges Mohammadi’s critical health condition. Denying access to essential medical care to a patient in such a state is a clear violation of the right to health and places her life at immediate risk,” said Dr Jacqueline Kitulu, President of the World Medical Association.
States have a clear obligation to ensure that detainees receive the same standard of healthcare available in the community, without discrimination.
Iran has ratified key international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which commits it to ensuring the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health for all. This obligation extends to prisoners and requires that necessary medical care be provided promptly and without obstruction.
The WMA calls on the Iranian authorities to ensure that Narges Mohammadi is granted immediate and unrestricted access to appropriate specialised medical care, including transfer to a fully equipped hospital where she can receive treatment from qualified specialists. Medical decisions must be made independently and always in the best interests of the patient.
World Medical Association calls for urgent medical care for Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi
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Mai Satao: Iranian authorities to halt executions, release those arbitrarily detained, and restore internet access immediately
Mai Satao: Iranian authorities to halt executions, release those arbitrarily detained,
and restore internet access immediatelyApril 29, 2026
I echo UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk’s statement on Iran and join him in calling on the Iranian authorities to halt executions, release those arbitrarily detained, and restore internet access immediately.
The use of national security charges to silence dissent, coerced confessions as the basis for executions, and the targeting of ethnic and religious minorities are patterns I have documented throughout my mandate — and they are continuing despite the ceasefire, as fragile as it is.
At least 21 executions have been announced by the State since the conflict began, but the ongoing shutdown gives me serious concern that further executions may be taking place without our knowledge. I am concerned for Narges Mohammadi, whose health is reportedly deteriorating in detention, and for Nasrin Sotoudeh, whose whereabouts remain unknown. Authorities have also reportedly seized the assets of hundreds of citizens — including 400 Iranians living abroad — labelling them ‘traitors to the homeland’.The 61-day internet shutdown, the longest ever recorded, has caused severe economic losses, disrupted education and healthcare, and left people unable to access safety information during active hostilities — allowing the State to monopolise the narrative and making it impossible to grasp the full human rights situation inside the country.
https://x.com/i/status/2049518101130068322
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Iran: Tortured Baha’i cousins at risk of death penalty: Peyvand Naimi and Borna Naimi
Iran: Tortured Baha’i cousins at risk of death penalty: Peyvand Naimi and Borna Naimi
Index Number: MDE 13/0933/2026
April 24, 2026
Cousins Peyvand Naimi and Borna Naimi, from Iran’s persecuted Baha’i religious minority, may be at risk of the death penalty in relation to the January 2026 protests. Their detention is arbitrary, and they must be released immediately.
https://x.com/AmnestyIran/status/2047704199358529814
