Rights Group Warns Of Iran’s Execution Threats Spreading To Europe

Maryam Parandeh Khouzani and Sama Amoushahi were arrested on July 11, in the wake of a recent spate of protests in Iran targeting sectors of society including athletes.

Khouzani, a highly-regarded rock climbing instructor, was apprehended by agents from the Ministry of Intelligence while participating in an official class organized by the Mountaineering Federation in Khomeinishahr of Esfahan. After her arrest, she was transferred to Dowlatabad Women's Prison in Esfahan.

On same day Sama Amoushahi, a talented rock climber who is currently battling cancer, was also arrested and detained. Her detention has raised alarm bells among human rights activists and concerned citizens, as her health condition requires specialized medical attention and care.

The arrest of these two athletes is part of a broader wave of arrests and detentions that have affected several citizens in Esfahan. The cases of those detained, including the two athletes, are currently being processed in Branch 13 of the Esfahan Revolutionary Court. As of now, no formal charges have been brought against the detainees, and detailed information about their well-being and circumstances remains scarce.

Despite the families' efforts to seek updates on the situation and to engage with judicial authorities, they have been unable to obtain substantial information regarding the detainees' status.

Many Iranian athletes and actresses have fearlessly demonstrated their support the movement by posting pictures of themselves at international events, undeterred by threats of punishment. Despite serious warnings from authorities, athletes and other celebrities have continued to publicly show solidarity with the protesters without yielding to the pressure.

On Wednesday, Mizan, the Judiciary News Agency, disclosed the initiation of a court case following the circulation of images showing women in the workplace without the mandatory hijab.

Prior to this announcement, Fars News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC, reported the termination of cooperation of some regime-linked publishers with Taqcheh and shared statements from several other publishing houses expressing their intention to disassociate from the platform.

The news comes in the wake of last week’s closure of the office of online retailer Digikala and a lawsuit that was filed against its female employees for publishing photos without hijab.

Despite the government’s repressive measures to force women to wear hijab, defiance remains widespread, with pictures and videos depicting women without mandatory hijab regularly being circulated across the country. Alireza Manzari, former vice president of the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization said that it is also affecting Iran’s international status and lowering transit through airports. “People without hijab do not come to our airports as a transit stop,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Damavand, the Prosecutor Morteza Tahmasbi announced the arrest of a bank manager and employee for providing services to a woman without the obligatory hijab. A judicial order has been issued to identify the woman involved.

National shortages of available aircraft and locomotives mean the country's aviation and rail sectors are struggling to meet the escalating demand for travel.

On Wednesday, the Mohammad Mohammadi-Bakhsh, head of the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization's, confirmed the existence of a "black market" for plane tickets in the country, expressing the urgency of augmenting the air fleet to alleviate the critical shortage.

"The current need of the country is 550 planes, but we only have 180 planes. To resolve the flight problem, 370 new planes need to be added to the country's air fleet," he said.

Mohammadi-Bakhsh revealed that out of Iran's 330 registered planes, 139 are currently grounded. Furthermore, he said that some of these vehicles have been deemed unfit to return to service, raising concerns about accurately assessing the country's aviation crisis.

The Association of Rail Transport Companies is undergoing a similar set of challenges. Sobhan Nazari, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, said that 350,000 passenger train tickets have been cancelled due to a lack of 900 locomotives, which is severely impacting the rail sector's ability to meet demand.

“Between May and July, approximately 80 out of the 175 currently operational locomotives were functioning,” he said.

Iran's civilian airliners have faced shortages since the 1990s. To compensate, they resorted to leasing older planes or procuring spare parts through intermediaries. However, the technical state of their fleet has steadily worsened over time, resulting in the current situation which has now reached crisis level.

Vendat Patel, the spokesperson for the Department of State, addressed the matter during a weekly press conference on Wednesday, stating that new information would be provided to Congress members in the near future.

"We anticipate that we'll be providing them additional briefings shortly, but I don't have any other specific updates to offer on that," Patel said during the press conference.

The case of Robert Malley entered public interest for the first time when Iran International reports surfaced on June 29, suggesting that the special envoy had been absent for a significant period, with his security clearance suspended.

As the top diplomat involved in talks with Tehran, Malley's failure to appear before Congress had raised concerns. The Biden administration initially informed Congress that Malley was on extended personal leave, but a month later, the investigation into the alleged mishandling of classified information began.

Speculations have arisen that Malley may have intentionally passed classified materials to Iran or another foreign nation. According to a report by Washington Free Beacon on Wednesday, Iranian press reports have also suggested that Malley engaged in unsanctioned talks with Iranian diplomats at the United Nations, raising concerns about potential unauthorized negotiations.

Washington Free Beacon also suggested that Malley may have leaked classified information to a network of pro-Tehran advocates known as the "echo chamber".

The ongoing secrecy surrounding Malley's situation has been a matter of concern for some national security experts, who have emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in handling such cases.

The news was released by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim and Fars news agencies, who reported that Ghamar's Instagram page contained posts that included accusations and insults directed towards officials of the Iranian regime. Furthermore, she was reported to have expressed support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently underwent surgery. The actress also allegedly made calls for street protests.

Fars News Agency published some of the controversial stories attributed to Ghamar's Instagram page, one of which included a message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wishing him a swift recovery, stating, "I prayed a lot for your health. Stay alive."

The news of Ghamar's arrest surfaced shortly after the Judiciary News Agency, Mizan, disclosed the initiation of a legal case against her at the Tehran Prosecutor's Office. Mizan cited the content posted by the actress as a cause for "the spread of psychological insecurity in society."

This incident is part of a broader pattern of authorities summoning and detaining prominent actors and public figures in the Islamic Republic during recent months.

Ghamar attracted attention for her support of Ebrahim Raisi during the 2021 presidential elections in Iran, with a video endorsing his candidacy being widely circulated. She also made a controversial statement expressing her backing for the execution of death sentences during the campaign against the execution of three protesters related to the 2019 protests.