The UN on Tuesday criticised Iranian authorities for locking up human rights activists and subjecting some of them to torture in an effort to stifle dissenting voices.
Mary Lawlor, the UN’s investigator on the situation of human rights defenders, said Iranian campaigners for the rights of women, children, minority groups, workers, those accused of crimes and others often receive long jail terms for carrying out their legitimate work.
She pointed to Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human rights lawyer who was in 2019 sentenced to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes for various charges, and Esmail Abdi, a teachers’ union leader who has been behind bars since 2016, as well as several others.
“It is too easy for human rights defenders in Iran to find themselves condemned to 10 years or more in prison for carrying out work that is legitimate in the eyes of human rights law,” Ms Lawlor said in a statement.
Iran has frequently come under fire from UN investigators and western nations over its criminal justice system. Tehran’s mission to the UN in New York did not immediately respond to The National’s request for comment.
Ms Lawlor says that Iranian women activists are frequent targets in a nation that has, in recent years, doubled down on the conservative values that inspired the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
She pointed to the fates of Mojgan Keshavarz, Monireh Arabshahi and other women who have campaigned against the mandatory hijab, receiving double-digit prison sentences for charges linked to corruption and prostitution.
“Until all human rights defenders are released and laws are made that specifically protect them, this grim cycle of detentions will not be broken,” Ms Lawlor said.
Separately, UN experts on Tuesday also criticised a crackdown on critics by the Palestinian Authority (PA), including the death in custody of well-known opposition candidate Nizar Banat on June 24.
Banat, one of the fiercest critics of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, died in PA custody in the West Bank. Relatives say he was beaten repeatedly with a metal rod before being arrested in Hebron.
The 43-year-old’s death has “all the makings of a criminal act,” Michael Lynk, the UN’s investigator on Palestinian issues, and other human rights experts said in a statement.
“His death must be investigated in a truly impartial and transparent manner” and those responsible “must be held fully accountable, regardless of rank or command and full reparations must be granted” to his family, the statement said.
As well as being a vocal critic of the PA, Banat had registered to run as a candidate in Palestinian parliamentary elections, which had been scheduled for May but were later put on hold by Mr Abbas.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said those responsible for Banat's death would face justice. A high-level PA investigation found that he had suffered violence and that the death was “unnatural”.
“Mr Banat’s public criticisms, however harsh, were protected by the basic human rights of freedom of expression and of association,” said the UN statement.
“The ability for critics to exercise these freedoms and hold governments and public authorities to account is a vital means to measure how much, or how little, public freedoms are enjoyed in the society.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicola%20Coughlan%2C%20Luke%20Newton%2C%20Jonathan%20Bailey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh209,000
On sale: now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Director: Shashank Khaitan
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Recycle Reuse Repurpose
New central waste facility on site at expo Dubai South area to handle estimated 173 tonne of waste generated daily by millions of visitors
Recyclables such as plastic, paper, glass will be collected from bins on the expo site and taken to the new expo Central Waste Facility on site
Organic waste will be processed at the new onsite Central Waste Facility, treated and converted into compost to be re-used to green the expo area
Of 173 tonnes of waste daily, an estimated 39 per cent will be recyclables, 48 per cent organic waste and 13 per cent general waste.
About 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products at another existing facility in Ras Al Khor
Recycling at Ras Al Khor unit:
Plastic items to be converted to plastic bags and recycled
Paper pulp moulded products such as cup carriers, egg trays, seed pots, and food packaging trays
Glass waste into bowls, lights, candle holders, serving trays and coasters
Aim is for 85 per cent of waste from the site to be diverted from landfill
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Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 400hp
Torque: 500Nm
Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)
On sale: 2022
