Latest news with #IranHumanRights
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Image of Israeli spy strapped to rocket bears AI signs
"Iranian media publishes the dispatch of a Mossad agent in this manner," reads the caption of an image shared on X on June 16, where it was reposted more than 6,000 times. The blurry image appears to show a man strapped to a rocket, with what appears to be an Iranian flag attached to it. The claim surfaced online after Iranian media said police in the country had arrested two people linked to Israel's intelligence agency Mossad on June 15 (archived link). The arrests came in the midst of intense fighting between the long-term Middle East foes, triggered by Israeli strikes on June 13 that targeted Iranian nuclear sites and killed several senior military officials and nuclear scientists (archived link). Iran responded with waves of drone and missile fire, and the exposure of Israel's deep intelligence penetration also prompted a major hunt for spies (archived link). According to Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights, six men have been hanged on charges of spying for Israel since the start of the conflict, dozens more on other charges and more than 1,000 arrested during or after the conflict on charges related to the war. The hostilities, which were brought to an end by a US-proposed ceasefire on June 24, killed more than 1,000 people in Iran and at least 28 people in Israel. Similar posts sharing the image appeared elsewhere on X, on Facebook in English, Bengali and Arabic, and on YouTube. Although some users were able to identify the image as AI-generated, others appeared to believe it was genuine. "This is the kind of human animals Israel has to deal with," one responded. Another said: "That's a war crime. Iran deserves everything that they'll get." However, there are no official reports of Iran strapping people to rockets. Reverse image searches on Google led to a high resolution version of the image on Facebook, where a nonsensical rendition of the Iranian flag can clearly be seen (archived link). The man in the image also has a disfigured head, while the railings on the rocket launch platform also appears as a jumbled mess. Despite meteoric progress in artificial intelligence technology, such inconsistencies remain the best way to distinguish inauthentic images. AFP has debunked other false claims related to the Iran-Israel war here.
AFP
09-07-2025
- AFP
Scene from Western film misrepresented as 'Iran executing Israeli spies'
"Iran Executes 4, Including a Woman, for Spying for Israel," reads the caption of an image shared on X on June 17, 2025. The image shows four people standing on gallows with their heads in nooses and covered by black hoods, and their hands tied behind their backs. It surfaced days after Israel launched an on June 13, targeting nuclear sites and killing several senior military officials and nuclear scientists (archived link). Iran responded with waves of drone and missile fire, and the demonstration of Israel's deep intelligence penetration also prompted a major hunt for spies (archived link). According to Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights, six men have been hanged on charges of spying for Israel since the start of the conflict, dozens more on other charges and more than 1,000 arrested during or after the conflict on charges related to the war. The 12-day war, which was brought to an end by a US-proposed ceasefire on June 24, killed more than 1,000 people in Iran and at least 28 people in Israel. Image Screenshot of the false X post captured on July 4, 2025, with a red X added by AFP The same image was also shared alongside similar Facebook, Instagram and X posts. "Long live Iran law," read a comment on one of the posts. Another said: "Excellent Iran. Crime must be punished." The picture, however, does not show a hanging in Iran. A reverse image search on led to a similar thumbnail for a YouTube video posted on the verified MovieClips channel on The channel is affiliated with movie review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The video is titled, "Hang 'Em High (10/12) Movie CLIP - A Hanging and a Shooting (1968) HD". "Hang 'Em High", which was released in 1968, is a Western film starring American actor Clint Eastwood (archived link). The falsely shared image appears to be a shown at the video's 1:18 mark. Image Screenshots comparison of the falsely shared image (left) and the movie clip posted on YouTube (right) The clip was also posted on the Rotten Tomatoes website (archived link). AFP has debunked related to the Iran-Israel war.
France 24
30-06-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Iran unleashes 'wave of repression' after Israel war: activists
Campaigners have been detained on the street or at home, executions expedited, prisoners transferred to unknown locations and minorities also targeted, according to rights groups. Six men have been hanged on charges of spying for Israel since the start of the conflict, dozens more on other charges and more than 1,000 arrested during or after the conflict on charges related to the war, according to Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based NGO. It said the majority of those detained were people whose mobile devices were searched and content such as footage of Israeli military actions was reportedly discovered. Leading campaigners arrested include the freedom of speech activist Hossein Ronaghi, while other figures such as rapper Toomaj and activist Arash Sadeghi were released after being roughly arrested and interrogated, according to reports. Roya Boroumand, executive director of the US-based NGO Abdorrahman Boroumand Center, said that with the crackdown Iranian authorities were attempting to suppress public discontent over the "humiliating blow" inflicted by Israel, which showed the Islamic republic was "unable to control its airspace and protect civilians". "Now, to maintain control and prevent its opponents inside the country from organising and mobilising forces, Iran's leaders are turning to fear. And they may only just be getting started," she told AFP. 'Wounded animal' Boroumand recalled that the ceasefire that ended the 1980-1988 war with Iraq was followed by a wave of repression that included the execution of thousands of dissidents. "If unchecked, the violence that targets Iranians today will target others outside Iran's borders," she added. Iran's leaders have faced criticism from inside the country over their apparent failure to prevent the Israeli and US air attacks. There was no working siren or shelter system, with what protection there was dating back to the 1980s conflict with Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Meanwhile, the killing in air strikes of top officials, military officers and nuclear scientists exposed Israel's deep intelligence penetration of Iran. That has prompted a major hunt for spies. Iran's judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said after the start of the war that the trial and punishment of anyone arrested on suspicion of collaborating with Israel "should be carried out and announced very quickly". Three Europeans, who have not been identified, have also been arrested, two of whom are accused of spying for Israel, according to the authorities. "Like a wounded animal, the Islamic republic is going after every perceived threat in the country with deadly force," said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). 'Wave of repression' The Norway-based Hengaw rights group, which focuses on Kurdish-populated areas of western and northwestern Iran, said 300 people of Kurdish ethnicity had been arrested in the crackdown. "A widespread wave of repression and mass arrests has unfolded across the country," it said, adding that "Kurdish cities have borne a disproportionate share of these crackdowns" and that detainees have included a "significant number of women and teenage girls". Non-Muslim religious minorities have also faced pressure. Some 35 members of Iran's remaining Jewish community, estimated to be just 10,000-strong but recognised as an official minority by the Islamic republic, have been summoned for questioning in recent days, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). Iranian security forces have also raided dozens of homes belonging to members of the Baha'i religious minority during and after the war with Israel, according to the IranWire news website.
Int'l Business Times
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Iran Unleashes 'Wave Of Repression' After Israel War: Activists
Iranian authorities have arrested hundreds of people and executed dozens in a wave of repression following the 12-day war with Israel, activists say, accusing the Islamic republic of using fear to compensate for weaknesses revealed by the conflict. Campaigners have been detained on the street or at home, executions expedited, prisoners transferred to unknown locations and minorities also targeted, according to rights groups. Six men have been hanged on charges of spying for Israel since the start of the conflict, dozens more on other charges and more than 1,000 arrested during or after the conflict on charges related to the war, according to Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based NGO. It said the majority of those detained were people whose mobile devices were searched and content such as footage of Israeli military actions was reportedly discovered. Leading campaigners arrested include the freedom of speech activist Hossein Ronaghi, while other figures such as rapper Toomaj and activist Arash Sadeghi were released after being roughly arrested and interrogated, according to reports. Roya Boroumand, executive director of the US-based NGO Abdorrahman Boroumand Center, said that with the crackdown Iranian authorities were attempting to suppress public discontent over the "humiliating blow" inflicted by Israel, which showed the Islamic republic was "unable to control its airspace and protect civilians". "Now, to maintain control and prevent its opponents inside the country from organising and mobilising forces, Iran's leaders are turning to fear. And they may only just be getting started," she told AFP. Boroumand recalled that the ceasefire that ended the 1980-1988 war with Iraq was followed by a wave of repression that included the execution of thousands of dissidents. "If unchecked, the violence that targets Iranians today will target others outside Iran's borders," she added. Iran's leaders have faced criticism from inside the country over their apparent failure to prevent the Israeli and US air attacks. There was no working siren or shelter system, with what protection there was dating back to the 1980s conflict with Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Meanwhile, the killing in air strikes of top officials, military officers and nuclear scientists exposed Israel's deep intelligence penetration of Iran. That has prompted a major hunt for spies. Iran's judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said after the start of the war that the trial and punishment of anyone arrested on suspicion of collaborating with Israel "should be carried out and announced very quickly". Three Europeans, who have not been identified, have also been arrested, two of whom are accused of spying for Israel, according to the authorities. "Like a wounded animal, the Islamic republic is going after every perceived threat in the country with deadly force," said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). The Norway-based Hengaw rights group, which focuses on Kurdish-populated areas of western and northwestern Iran, said 300 people of Kurdish ethnicity had been arrested in the crackdown. "A widespread wave of repression and mass arrests has unfolded across the country," it said, adding that "Kurdish cities have borne a disproportionate share of these crackdowns" and that detainees have included a "significant number of women and teenage girls". Non-Muslim religious minorities have also faced pressure. Some 35 members of Iran's remaining Jewish community, estimated to be just 10,000-strong but recognised as an official minority by the Islamic republic, have been summoned for questioning in recent days, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). Iranian security forces have also raided dozens of homes belonging to members of the Baha'i religious minority during and after the war with Israel, according to the IranWire news website. The Baha'i faith, which has a spiritual centre in the Israeli city of Haifa, is Iran's largest non-Muslim minority but has no official recognition.
Middle East Eye
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Iran: Executions soar following end of Israeli assault
At the height of Israel's war against Iran, Kambiz Hosseini - an anti-establishment figure working for the Saudi-funded media outlet Iran International - told his followers that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would soon be killed. On 19 June, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Khamenei's death would mean the end of the Islamic Republic, Hosseini urged his followers to wait just a little longer, writing: 'You have waited 46 years, 4 months, and 29 days; wait three more days.' For three days, nothing happened. Then, on the fourth, everything changed. Less than two hours after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, Hosseini posted anxiously on X: 'If Khamenei survives in these remaining hours, he will massacre the people! He will take revenge on everyone.' And Khamenei survived. It wasn't only Hosseini and his followers, who supported foreign intervention to overthrow the Islamic Republic, who were worried. Many Iranians inside and outside the country soon witnessed a wave of repression, arrests and executions after the war ended. On the morning of 24 June, just hours after the ceasefire took effect, three people were hanged in Urmia prison. Idris Aali, Azad Shojaei, and Rasoul Ahmad had been accused of collaborating with Mossad before the war and were swiftly executed. 'What threatens the establishment is not a foreign enemy, but the opposition and ordinary people inside Iran' - Mahmoud Amiri-Moghaddam, Iran Human Rights In the days before that, three other prisoners - Mohammad Amin Mahdavi Shayesteh, Majid Mossayebi, and Esmail Fekri - were also executed in different prisons on charges of spying for Israel. At the same time, Iranian state media announced that over 700 people had been arrested across the country for 'espionage', 'spreading anti-establishment propaganda', or 'collaborating with hostile governments'. Mahmoud Amiri-Moghaddam, head of the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights organisation, put the number at least 900 in an interview with Middle East Eye. He also pointed to a new law passed by Iran's parliament during the war, and its details revealed on 28 June, known as the 'intensifying punishment for agents collaborating with hostile states' bill. According to him, this law is meant to increase pressure on citizens and provide legal justification for future executions. 'The real targets are not Mossad agents, but ordinary people. Under this law, anyone can be accused of 'corruption on earth' and executed. Even talking to people outside Iran could now be considered espionage,' he explained. 'What threatens the establishment is not a foreign enemy, but the opposition and ordinary people inside Iran.' Ceasefires and executions For Iranians opposed to the government, ceasefires do not bring relief. The last time the Islamic Republic agreed to a ceasefire was in 1988, ending the eight-year Iran-Iraq war. What followed was the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners, some of whom were nearing the end of their sentences and awaiting release. At the time, the killings didn't receive media coverage due to censorship. Even years later, when the world learned about it, the perpetrators openly defended their actions. Now, many establishment critics fear that history is about to repeat itself. A former political prisoner who survived the 1988 massacre, who asked to remain anonymous, told MEE that although today's circumstances may be different, the repression has already begun. They pointed to the widespread arrests of political activists and dissidents reported in recent days. Among those detained are Hassan and Hossein Ronaghi in Tehran; Noyan Hejazi and Nazanin Abedini in Jouibar; Jalal Khodamoradi in the Kurdish city of Sanandaj; blogger Donya Hosseini from Khuzestan province; and four Kurdish activists in Piranshahr. According to this former prisoner, after intense conflict with a foreign enemy, the establishment always tries to eliminate any opposition at home. 'The regime knows it has been defeated by Israel in many military and intelligence areas, and for this reason, it is unwilling to take the risk of any internal dissent," they said. A member of the People's Mujahedin of Iran in France displays portraits of victims of the 1988 executions in 2019 (Eric Feferberg/ AFP) "It fears this could bring down a 46-year-old dictatorship.' They also recalled the wave of executions after the suppression of the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement in 2022, when protesters were swiftly tried and executed without access to lawyers. 'Since 1979, this religious dictatorship has relied on executions to deal with opponents. By incorporating Shia jurisprudence into its system, it has even given religious legitimacy to these killings," they concluded. "More executions are certainly coming, and the regime will resort to killing and intimidating ordinary people to ensure its survival." One of the most evident signs of increasing repression is the return of Basij checkpoints to the streets. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The Basij is part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Its members, known as "volunteers", are rewarded with government jobs, university admissions, low-interest loans, and other benefits. How supporters of 'Woman Life Freedom' in Iran rejected Israel's assault Read More » The Basij have been deployed in many incidents the government wishes to distance itself from, such as attacks on Tehran University dormitories and the British and Saudi embassies in recent years. They also carry out arbitrary arrests during protests. Just two days after Israel attacked Iran, the government announced the return of Basij checkpoints. Their reappearance came with attacks by plainclothes agents on non-political public figures critical of the establishment. One such case was Voria Ghafouri, a former Iranian national football player. His cafe in western Tehran was shut down by seven plainclothes officers, without explanation or a court order. Meanwhile, the state has also been sending threatening mass text messages to citizens, warning them against following anti-government media outside Iran. One such message, seen by MEE, warned recipients that if they did not delete likes, comments, or follows from certain pages, they would face legal consequences. One citizen, who received the message, said he didn't even use his phone to read the news. 'I have two mobile lines, one for work and one personal. I got the text message on the phone that I wasn't even using for news,' he said. Public intimidation These intimidation tactics are not just isolated acts of harassment but part of a broader system of fear used to silence dissent and justify more extreme forms of punishment, including executions. According to Amiri-Moghaddam, the establishment often uses vague or fabricated charges like espionage, 'propaganda against the regime,' or 'corruption on earth' to legitimise these crackdowns. Amiri-Moghaddam also warned that if the international community remains silent, Iran's rulers may resort to mass executions. Iran says 71 killed in Israeli strike on Evin Prison Read More » 'The Islamic Republic has always followed one core principle: preserving the establishment. What has consistently threatened its survival is the domestic opposition,' he said. He added that one of the highest waves of executions occurred in the country during the 2015 nuclear negotiations with western countries. 'At that time, we warned EU representatives, but they told us their main focus was the nuclear deal, so they ignored the rest," he explained. He noted a similar pattern in the eight months leading up to the recent war with Israel. With attention on Iran's presidential election, Trump's return to power, and new nuclear talks, Iran used the last year to execute over a thousand people. There were at least 343 executions in Iran in the first four months of 2025 - a 75 percent increase over the same period in 2024, according to Iran Human Rights.
