NEWS))))))

The Paris-based international organization, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has declared Iran as the world’s largest prison for female journalists. The latest RSF report published on August 26, states, “The Islamic Republic is now the world’s biggest jailer of women journalists, with a total of ten currently held.” The RSF expressed alarm that a new wave of arrests and interrogations of female journalists had started in Iran since the beginning of August. The RSF indicated that the Islamic Republic previously ranked fifth among the countries with the highest number of detained female journalists. However, “Iran is now holding more women in connection with their journalistic activities than any other country in the world,” said Reza Moini, the head of RSF’s Iran/Afghanistan Desk. Iran ranks 170th among 180 countries according to the 2019 World Press Freedom Index of the Reporters without Borders.

******

According to People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, PMOI or MEK, Aug. 30th, on Thursday, Iranian authorities executed eight prisoners in Gohardasht prison, Karaj. During the same week, the regime also executed Hamidreza Derakhshan, a citizen of Kazerun, who had killed the city's Friday prayer leader in frustration of corruption of the regime. Simultaneous the regime freed it's minister Mohammad Ali Najafi who had shot and killed his wife at their home.

******

Labour activist Atefeh Rangriz who is presently imprisoned in
Qarchak Prison in Varamin, based on her Aug. 31st verdict is sentenced to 11 years and six months in jail and 74 lashes.
Another female prisoner, Saba KordAfshari 20 years old, was sentenced to 24 years in prison for protesting the compulsory veil and refusing to cooperate with the regime and make forced confessions.
In another development, Parvin Mohammadi, vice president of the Free Union of Iranian Workers, was accused of "propaganda against the state" and was sentenced to one year in prison.

******

A new plan is going to be enforced across Iran beginning this week to further step up suppression of women for improper veiling. The acting commander of Police, Ayoub Soleimani, said the new plan, called Nazer (Observer) 2, is going to be implemented. 
The new plan is designed to put maximum pressure on women. According to the new plan, Police will be present in public places, major stores, and beaches to give warning to women who are considered improperly veiled according to the regime’s standards.
The Iranian regime’s Police had already implemented the Nazer1 plan to monitor women who remove their veils inside their cars.

******

On Sunday morning, August 25, a woman was executed in Mashhad Central Prison. This is the 94th woman executed during six years of Hassan Rouhani’s presidency. More than 3,700 people have been executed in Iran in the past six years under Rouhani’s presidency. The Iranian regime is the world’s top record holder of executions.


******
On Saturday night, August 24, Zahra Jamali, a civil activist living

in Tehran, was arrested at her sister’s home by security forces and was taken to an unknown location. Security forces also seized the personal belongings of Ms. Zahra Jamali, including her cellphone and laptop, during her arrest.
On August 19, Ms. Giti Pourfazel, a retired lawyer, was arrested by security forces and her fate remains unknown. Giti Pourfazel was previously arrested and released during a rally in protest November 2015. In other news, despite a month after the arrest of Ms. Zahra Akbari-Nejad, the wife of political prisoner Abolghassem Fouladvand, no information is available on her fate. She was arrested on July 23, during a raid on her home by security forces. Despite three months of the arbitrary detention of Zahra Mohammadi, director of Nojin Social and Cultural Association in Sanandaj, her fate remains unknown. Ms. Zahra Mohammadi was arrested on May 23, when agents of the Intelligence Department of Sanandaj raided her residence.