Iran is a country of geopolitical importance due to its location in the Middle East and Central Eurasia. It is a constitutional and theocratic Republic in which the Shiite cleric dominates the main structures of power. The current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was elected in 1989 by a body made up of religious leaders: the Assembly of Experts.

The legislative and the executive are also controlled by the Shi'ite cleric. The Supreme Leader controls the main ministries; he appoints the representatives of the judicature, the media, the armed forces and the revolutionary bodies. The legislative body is made up of the Majlis, the Council of Guardians, the Expediency Discernment Council and the Assembly of Experts. The 290 members of the Majlis (Parliament) are elected by universal suffrage every four years in multi-member districts. The Majlis reserves five seats for religious minorities. The executive may not dissolve the Majlis, as it does not have much influence. The Council of Guardians is made up of six Islamic members and six secular jurists. The Council studies and vetoes the legal proposals approved by the Majlis whose analysis follows Islamic law. The Council of Guardians also decides who has the right to apply for national posts. The Council of Discernment mediates in disputes between the Council of Guardians and the Majlis.

The Constitution establishes that judicial power "is an independent power", but in practice, the judicial system is subject to religious and government influence. Women may not hold the position of judge.

After announcing the re-election of President Ahmadinejad, in June 2009, thousands of citizens went out onto the streets to protest. The police and paramilitaries violently suppressed the demonstrations. The official death count was 37, but opposition groups reported that around 70 people died, and human rights organisations stated that at least 200 people had died as victims of the violence. It is estimated that in August the authorities detained around 4,000 people. The detentions have carried on all year. The opposition "Green Movement" was formed from the groups that went out to protest about the election results and organised demonstrations throughout the country. Observers also stated that the elections had not been free or fair.
On 1 July 2009, the authorities arrested Clotilde Reiss, a French citizen and teaching assistant at the University of Isfahan, on charges of espionage. She was detained for six weeks and then she was in the French embassy in Tehran until May 2010, when she was able to return to France.

In December 2009, intelligence officials detained Nushin Ebadi, a dentistry professor and sister of Dr. Shirin Ebadi, human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize winner, in her own home.

The former Iranian President, Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is considered a moderate reformist, criticised the country's political situation in June 2010.

A series of demonstrations began on 14 February 2011 and were, at least in part, a continuation of the post-election protests; also, they were seen as being influenced by the wave of protests and revolutions developing in the Arab world.

In April 2011, Ahmadinejad sacked Heydar Moslehi, Iran's Intelligence Chief, a move which the Supreme Leader swiftly annulled.

In May 2011, all manner of speculations occurred on the differences between President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad and the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.

Discrimination on the basis of religion, sex, sexual orientation and ethnic origin is common. The security forces, regular and paramilitary, and prison staff have been accused of torturing detainees and prisoners with total impunity. Paramilitary groups impose their interpretation of proper social conduct through intimidation and violence. The expression of dissent constitutes a crime, and the death sentence may be imposed for "attacking the State's security, outraging high-ranking officials and insulting the memory of the Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic". Disappearances are common and seldom investigated. The religious police ensure compliance of strict rules of conduct. The security forces observe citizens' activities, they go into offices and homes, and they listen to telephone conversations and open correspondence, all without any judicial order.

The authorities have continued refusing permits for opposition demonstrations. The security forces prevented the "Grieving Mothers", whose sons and daughters were assassinated by the security forces during the unrest of 2009, from holding a meeting in Laleh Park, Tehran. The authorities also prevented women's rights activists from publically demonstrating against existing discrimination laws. The Government increased restrictions on civil society organisations. On 27 September 2010, the spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Office and Judicial Power announced a dissolution order for reformist political parties. The repression against students from the Office for the Consolidation of Unity, an independent student association which the authorities declared illegal in January 2009, was especially harsh.

Although Iran's controversial nuclear energy programme has continued to hit the headlines around the world, the national press has suffered intimidations and harassment to ensure they do not criticise government policy. The closure of newspapers, frequent detentions and long prison sentences make it clear that criticism will not be tolerated. Iran is the country with the most journalists in prison in all of the Middle East. The Press Law prohibits publishing ideas contrary to Islamic principles. Sanctions imposed include tough prison sentences, fines, lashings and disqualification as a journalist. UNESCO awarded its prestigious press freedom prize to Ahmad Zeidabadi, an imprisoned Iranian journalist, who was chosen by an independent jury of twelve media professionals to receive the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2011. The anti-Internet campaign has intensified, and more sophisticated filtering systems are employed to block access to online information. However, these measures have not totally suffocated the opposition.

A law has been passed to combat trafficking in persons. According to reports, the country is a point of origin, transit and destination for victims of trafficking.

The law prohibits and punishes homosexuality. The discriminatory laws and policies against homosexuals and other sexual minorities put them at risk of harassment, violence and even death, Human Rights Watch stated in a report published in December 2010. Sexual minorities, especially those who are identified as lesbians, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), are attacked by the State and by private individuals because the aggressors know that they will not be persecuted.

The increased consumption of drugs in Iran contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS. There is a clinic in Tehran where AIDS tests are carried out for free and anonymously. People affected by HIV are discriminated against in school and in work. Anti-Semitism is very widespread and the President has repeatedly denied the Holocaust.

In March 2011, The UN Council of Human Rights decided to appoint a Special Rapporteur to observe and report on the deterioration of human rights in Iran. In accordance with official figures, at least 116 people have been executed in Iran in 2011. Credible reports indicate that dozens more have been executed in secret. Thousands of prisoners are still on death row.

Except in isolated areas of the country, children have free and compulsory access to education up to age 11. Education standards are different in rural and urban areas, as well as between different regions of the country. To resolve the issue of the shortage of teachers in rural areas, some specific rural teacher training institutions have been established. Teachers are recruited and sent to rural areas. The pro-literacy movement has managed to reduce illiteracy among the population. Children start primary education at age 6 and receive a general education. After 5 years, those who pass a national exam go into a 3-year general education stage called Guidance Cycle. At the end of this cycle, those who pass the corresponding exam go on to secondary education. Students wishing to enter post-secondary education must do a pre-university course in preparation for the national entrance exam (konkur), which is required to obtain a place at university. The students have their personalities assessed; they must respect Islamic principles and State ideology.

In the last five years, hundreds of higher education students have been expelled from universities in Iran. The authorities responsible for managing higher education institutions prevent students who are critical of the Government from accessing undergraduate degree programmes or continuing their postgraduate studies.

A 1-year programme begins at age 5. At this level, 8% of education is private. The Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) is 27%. There are 24,820 ECE teachers (89% female), of whom, 79% have received proper training. The pupil/teacher ratio (PTR) is 18: 1.

Education is compulsory for ages 6 to 10. Primary education begins at age 6 and lasts for 5 years. 4% of primary education is private. The NER is 89% (51% girls). Of the students enrolled in the first course, 90% reach the last primary education course. 2% of students retake a course. There are 365,235 primary school teachers (58% female) all of whom have received proper training. The PTR is 20: 1.

Secondary education begins at age 11 and lasts for 7 years. 16% of secondary school students take technical training courses. The NER is 78%. There are 525,835 secondary teachers, 242,708 (49% female) in lower secondary and 283,145 (46% female) in upper secondary schools. The PTR is 19: 1 in lower secondary and 20: 1 in upper secondary education.

3,349,741 pupils (51% female) study in tertiary institutions, with across enrolment rate of 37%. 54% of higher education institutions are private. Foreign students who study in Iran come from Asia (1,126), Central and Eastern Europe (71), sub-Saharan Africa (32), North America and Western Europe (18) and Latin America and the Caribbean (2). At the same time, 17,245 Iranian students study abroad, especially in Germany (5,323), the USA (2,321), France (1,441), the UK (1,436) and Italy (694).

The Majlis approved the Comprehensive Law on the rights of disabled people, but there are no accompanying regulations for its application. Students with moderate and serious disabilities have more possibility of receiving special education in the cities than in rural areas. Students with light to moderate disabilities usually remain outside the statistics and are enrolled in mainstream schools without receiving any special education help.

The law provides for asylum or refugee status to be granted in accordance with the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol.

Until March 2010, in accordance with the information provided by the Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants, there were 1,065,000 refugees registered with the authorities, of which approximately 1,021,600 were Afghans and 43,800 were Iraqis. Furthermore, there are some 4,000 Iraqi refugees, who according to the UNHCR, are waiting to be granted legal status by the authorities. The majority of refugees in the country live in urban areas, while approximately three per cent live in rural settlements. Some 300,000 temporary work permits (TWPs) were given out in 2009 which authorise registered Afghan refugees to work legally in the country and receive benefits. However, the procedures for issuing TWPs have not been set in motion, and there is a lack of measures to help poor Afghan refugees who are unable to pay the fees demanded.

99% of the Iranian population is Muslim, 89% are Shiites and 10% are Sunnis. The regional minorities include Turkmens, Arabs, Baluchis and Kurds. The Baha'i, Christian, Zoroastrian and Jewish communities constitute less than 1% of the population. Recognised minority community institutions are watched. Sunni Muslims have a high degree of religious freedom, but may not stand for the presidency; they complain that they are discriminated against and cite as an example the lack of a Sunni mosque in Tehran. Kurdish broadcasts and publications have increased, but there is no public school that teaches the Kurdish language. The Azeri language is prohibited in schools and Azeri activists are persecuted. Some 4 million Ahwazi Arabs from Khuzestan are forbidden to study and speak Arabic. The Jewish minority is discriminated against.

Iranian law still discriminates against religious minorities in employment and education, including Sunni Muslims, who represent around 10 per cent of the population and may not build mosques in the main cities. In 2010, the security forces detained several members of the largest Sufi group in Iran and attacked its places of worship. Similarly, Christian converts have suffered interrogations and detentions. The Government restricts the cultural and political activities of the Azeri, Kurdish and Arab minorities in the country, including organisations focusing on social issues.

The Government has indicated that its objective is to expel secular and liberal university teachers from universities in Iran to maintain the ideas of the Islamic Revolution. Government informers are active on university campuses. To obtain a permanent post, teachers must abstain from criticising the authorities. Admission to university is politicised, and students must pass personality tests and adherence to Islamist postulates tests. Student protests end with detentions and beatings by paramilitary gangs. The police assault, take out of their home and detain critical students and their families. .

On 8 March 2011, Human Rights Watch asked the Iranian authorities to respect the right of protesters to assemble peacefully and state their requests in favour of democratic reforms. In a statement, it explained that on the 100th anniversary of International Woman's Day, thousands of people participated in protests in Tehran and other major cities to demand democratic reforms and equality. The organisation reported that Iranian women face severe discrimination in Government laws and policies which has denied them equal rights in marriage, divorce, custody of their children and inheritance. Divorced women only get custody until the child is seven years old, then s/he is automatically transferred to the father and the mother loses the right to custody if she marries again, which is something that does not happen to men.
Many women are trained to occupy employment posts considered to be traditionally male. However, social and legal limitations curtail their professional opportunities, and the unemployment rate is higher among women than men. Women may have their own assets, run businesses and obtain credits, but they may not apply for directorships or be appointed judges. Women may get maternity leave, subsidised childcare and pensions, and may access all levels of education. 60% of university students are women. Nevertheless, gender segregation is compulsory in public spaces.

Domestic violence is considered a private matter and is not reported. Matrimony for girls under 13 years old and boys under 15 years old requires court permission. Men may have 4 wives, and the Shiite custom of celebrating "temporary marriages" is permitted. The duration of temporary marriages may vary greatly, but wives do not have the rights linked to traditional marriage.

Stoning men and women for adultery is permitted. Women may ask for a divorce if the husband has given her that right in a contract or if her husband is unable to maintain the family or is a drug addict. Men, conversely, do not have to give any explanation when filing for divorce. Women have the right to receive maintenance and a part of the assets acquired during the marriage. A woman's testimony does not have the same value in law as a man's testimony, and indemnification paid to the family of a woman who has been the victim of a crime is half of what is paid if the victim was a man.

The law prohibits forced or compulsory child labour, but it occurs in practice. It is forbidden to employ minors under 15, and there are certain limitations on the kind of work permitted for minors under the age of 18. Nonetheless, the laws regarding child labour are not complied with, and child labour is common. Children may work in agriculture, domestic service and small companies.

The Labour Code grants preference to Islamic associations and companies. The regulations and constitutions of the Islamic councils are established by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs along with the Islamic Information Organisation, and they are approved by the Council of Ministers. Subsequently, the Islamic Councils may represent workers in tripartite meetings. Public sector strikes are prohibited, and there are no mechanisms to protect workers' rights in this sector. Collective bargaining does not take place, and strikes that the government considers to be contrary to its policies are not permitted; however, strikes still occur. Labour legislation does not apply in export processing areas. The Supreme Labour Council decides minimum salary levels for each region and industrial sector. The Labour Code establishes that the minimum salary must be sufficient to meet a family's living costs and it must take inflation into account, but many workers have 2 or 3 jobs to be able to maintain their families. The Labour Code stipulates a maximum working week of 6 days and 48 hours.
Iranian law does not permit independent trade unions, although the labour councils are represented in the Central Union of Workers, the sole legal labour federation. In 2009, members of the Central Union throughout the country were attacked and detained by the security forces for participating in May Day celebrations, and in the demonstrations after the presidential election.

Farzad Kamangar, a 35-year-old teacher and member of the Teachers Association of Kurdistan, was accused of "threatening national security" and of being an "enemy of God". Farzad was executed along with four other Kurdish political prisoners, in secret, on Sunday 9 May 2010 in the Evin prison in Tehran. He had lived under the threat of the death penalty since February 2008, which was imposed after a mock trial which lasted less than five minutes. In prison, Farzad suffered torture and psychological pressure. Although the Iranian authorities had accepted Farzad's request for appeal, the case was stopped when it was sent to the Supreme Court for review. Following several delays, the authorities told Farzad's lawyer that the trial's documents had been lost. In spite of the obvious lack of an independent investigation and the total absence of a fair trial, Farzad was executed in secret. Farzad Kamangar's case particularly affects the EI and its 30 million members who intensely campaigned for his release, due to the opaque and secret way in which his trial was carried out, the constant violation of the most basic rights and because his family and legal representatives were not informed of his execution.

In May 2011, the Iranian teachers still in prison issued a statement criticising the authorities for imprisoning teachers because of their activities. The statement was scheduled to mark Teachers' Day, and was published on Advar Tahkim Vahdat's website, the largest reformist student organisation in Iran. Iranian teachers demand recognition of their right to form trade unions, to hold assemblies and to criticise the authorities. The signatories of the statement add that they do not want to return to schools where they are not permitted to teach because of their critical opinions. Conversely, they want to be assigned to schools where the first lesson is to teach how to think freely. The signatories include Abdollah Momeni and Mohammad Davari, member of the Executive Council of the Teachers' Organisation in Iran. They were detained during the repression that followed the presidential elections of June 2009 and they are currently serving a five-year prison sentence in Evin Prison, Tehran, where Farzad Kamangar was executed a year ago.

State of World Population 2010. "From conflicts and crises towards renewal: generations of change" UNFPA, November 2010, www.unfpa.org (Spanish)

UNESCO honors Iranian journalist, 14 April 2011, www.unesco.org

"We are a buried generation, Discrimination and Violence against Sexual Minorities in Iran", December 2010, Human Rights Watch, www.hrw.org

UNHCR report on Iran 2011, www.unhcr.org

Human Rights Watch asks for respect for protesters to who are demanding democratic reform in Iran, March 2011, www.hrw.org