The same report said that over 20 Kurdish language teachers have been interrogated. This is despite the fact that over 10% of Iranian citizens are Kurds and learning their mother tongue is a basic human right.

An Update about Detainees

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) published a report on street protests and detainees. According to this report, there were at least 1280 protests in 165 cities in all regions of the country in the last 157 days. Over 19763 people, including 181 children under 18, were arrested. Of all those arrested, 3635 were ordinary citizens, 723 were students, and the rest were activists, journalists, lawyers, celebrities and the like.

530 Individuals have died since the beginning of the uprising, including 71 children. 

In the last two weeks, many prisoners have been released under the new "pardon" decree. According to HRANA, around 6169 people will either be released or have their sentences reduced. However, this order would not include anyone sentenced to execution.

Economic Crisis

Iran's national security chief has warned of an impending food shortage and higher prices in a confidential letter to President Ebrahim Raisi. Rising costs of animal feed, a shortage of corn due to Brazil running out of supply, and Ukraine's refusal to supply have been cited as reasons. The Iranian economy is under strain due to US sanctions, a drop in oil revenues, and a shortage of hard currency, which is disrupting the flow of goods into the country.

Moreover, according to Bloomberg, Iran has imposed new restrictions on foreign currency sales after a run on euros and dollars weakened the rial to 500,000 against the greenback. That is the lowest it has ever been. Iran's official currency has lost more than 50% of its value against the U.S. dollar since Raisi began his presidential course.

Diplomacy of Hostage Taking

Iran has sentenced an Iranian-German national and US resident, Jamshid Sharmahd, to death on the charge of "corruption on earth." Sharmahd, who is accused of heading a pro-monarchist group, is held responsible for a deadly 2008 bombing on a mosque in Shiraz, which killed 14 people and wounded 200 others. He has been held in solitary confinement and denied an independent attorney and fair legal procedures. The death sentence is still appealable to the supreme court. The news of Sharmahd's kidnapping in Dubai and transfer to Tehran by Islamic Republic agents was first announced in August 2020. The death sentence comes as Iran confirms indirect talks with the US over prisoner exchange through intermediaries.