Iran Update: Guardian Council Approves New Islamic Penal Code

The "Islamic Penal Bill" flouts Iran's legal obligations under the ICCPR [International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]. The legislation endangers free expression and reinforces laws that violate the rights of Iranian citizens. The bill fails to prohibit stoning, lashing, and other cruel, inhumane, and degrading punishments; redress discriminatory laws; or, raise the age of majority for girls and boys. In a particularly worrisome clause, the bill expands punishment for "actions against national security", a charge that has routinely been used to persecute dissidents.

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