Amnesty International Declares 2018 'Year of Shame' for Iran

On Thursday, January 24, Amnesty International released a new report on the human rights situation in Iran, labeling the previous year as a 'Year of Shame' for the Iranian government due to over seven thousand arrests. The report emphasized that Iranian authorities have shamelessly suppressed widespread protests against poverty, corruption, and authoritarianism across the country, detaining thousands of demonstrators. Amnesty International noted that at least 50 Iranian journalists were arrested in the past year, with at least 20 of them receiving heavy prison sentences in 'unfair' trials. Following protests in numerous Iranian cities in December 2017, which began with economic and livelihood issues but evolved into political slogans, over 20 people were killed. Since then, various protests have occurred, including those by religious minorities, women opposing mandatory hijab, and workers, farmers, and teachers advocating for their rights and protesting economic conditions. Amnesty International stated that the Iranian government's response to these protests has solely been widespread repression, resulting in over seven thousand arrests in the past year. The report described the detainees as belonging to various groups, including students, journalists, environmental activists, workers, and human rights defenders. Many of these arrests were arbitrary, with hundreds sentenced to prison, some subjected to flogging, and at least 26 protesters killed. Philip Luther, director of the Middle East and North Africa section at Amnesty International, remarked that '2018 will be recorded in history as a year of shame for Iran,' as officials intensified actions against freedom of expression, assembly, and peaceful protests, effectively neutralizing any signs of dissent. The report criticized the use of violent measures by Iranian authorities against unarmed protesters, including beatings, tear gas, and water cannons. It also mentioned the arbitrary detention of eleven lawyers, 50 journalists, and 91 students in the past year. Additionally, Amnesty International recorded the arrest of 112 women rights defenders in Iran's human rights record for 2018. The report highlighted the treatment of Gonabadi dervishes, detailing the arrest and trial of many, resulting in a total of 1,080 years of imprisonment and approximately 6,000 lashes for 200 individuals. The detention of at least 171 Christian converts and ongoing harassment of Baha'is in Iran were also significant points of focus. The report noted that at least 63 environmental activists and researchers were arrested in 2018. Iranian officials have yet to respond to Amnesty International's report.