U.S., 17 Other Nations Condemn Russia’s ‘Intensifying Harassment’ Of Media, Journalists

An 18-member group of nations, including the United States and United Kingdom, has expressed “deep concern” over what it calls the Russian government’s “intensifying harassment of independent journalists and media outlets” in the country.

Husband Of Detained Iranian-British Woman Announces Hunger Strike

The husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian woman who has been detained in Iran for more than five years, has gone on a hunger strike again after a court decided she has to serve an additional year in prison.

'Maximum Psychological' Pressure: Iranian Rights Lawyer Tortured, Drugged During Detention, Attorney Says

A jailed Iranian lawyer who has represented high-profile political prisoners was sent to a psychiatric hospital where he was drugged with unknown substances and subjected to electric shocks, his lawyer has revealed.

Taliban Strikes Journalists In Kabul As Women Protest For Their Rights

Taliban militants have attacked several journalists covering a Kabul rally by a group of women demanding "work, bread, and education," spurring concerns about the deterioration of the rights situation under Afghanistan’s new rulers.

Iran's Power Company Warns Of Cuts Due To Illegal Cryptocurrency Mining

Iran's state electricity company has warned that illicit cryptocurrency miners in the country could cause new power cuts this winter.

UN Nuclear Watchdog Says Iran Denying Monitoring Access At 'Indispensable' Site

Iran has not allowed international inspectors access to a centrifuge-component-manufacturing workshop as agreed under a monitoring deal reached two weeks ago, the UN nuclear watchdog says.

Report Highlights Belarus's 'Repressive' Campaign Against Internet Freedom

Human rights watchdog Freedom House says global Internet freedom has declined dramatically in Belarus, where last year’s disputed presidential election led the authorities to restrict access to the Internet, increase social media surveillance, and...

U.S. Farm Cooperative Takes Systems Offline After Ransomware Attack Linked To Russian Hackers

A ransomware attack believed to be the work of Russian hackers has forced an association of corn and soy farmers based in the U.S. state of Iowa to take its systems offline.

Telegram Messenger Blocks Navalny's Bot During Vote

Popular messaging app Telegram has suspended all chat bots used in the Russian elections campaign, in another blow to jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny’s Smart Voting initiative after Apple and Google removed the election-guide app from...

Iran Reports Increase In Child Marriages

Iranian officials have reported an increase in the overall number of child marriages last year compared to 2019.

Iran Confirms Accelerated Production Of Highly Enriched Uranium

Iran has confirmed a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concluding that the country has expanded its production of weapons-grade uranium to 60 percent purity.

Moscow Court Levels More Fines Against Google

A Moscow court has leveled more fines against Google for violating Russia's rules on banned content.

VPNs Are Not A-OK: Turkmen Internet Users Forced To Swear On Koran They Won't Use Them

Internet users in the tightly controlled Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan say they are being forced to swear on the Koran that they will not use virtual private networks (VPNs).

Belarus Bans Sports Website As 'Extremist’

A court in Belarus has banned a popular sports portal and labeled it as “extremist” amid an intensifying crackdown on media and civil society.

Iran Sentences German And British Dual Nationals To More Than 10 Years In Prison

An Iranian Revolutionary Court has sentenced two dual nationals, German-Iranian Nahid Taghavi and British-Iranian Mehran Raouf, to more than 10 years in prison.

Belarusian Journalist Sentenced To 18 Months In Prison For 'Insulting' Lukashenka

A Belarusian journalist has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of insulting the country's authoritarian leader, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, and slandering two police officers.

World Urged To React 'Vigorously' To Belarus Closing Main Journalists' Association

Rights groups have called on the international community to defend Belarus's leading journalists' association as the regime of authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka seeks to close it down amid an intensifying crackdown on independent media and...

EU Condemns Russia's 'Unabated Crackdown' On Independent Media, NGOs

The European Union has urged Russia to stop its “unabated crackdown” on independent media outlets, journalists, and civil-society organizations, calling the clampdown ahead of parliamentary elections in September “particularly worrisome.”