Eight researchers, employees of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation (“PWHF”), a nonprofit conservation organization, were arrested in January 2018 and charged with spying. In November 2019 they were found guilty and sentenced to jail terms ranging from six to ten years in prison. The conservationists were tracking cheetahs with camera traps, a typical way to capture pictures of wildlife. ... Continue Reading>>
Environmentalists in Iran Arrested for Use of Standard Equipment, Charged as Spies
Taher Ghadirian and Houman Jowkar serve on the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Morad Tahbaz and Niloufar Bayani are widely respected conservation scientists. All of these work with the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation and were arrested in January and could face execution for their work. In addition, five other scientists were previously arrested, and one, Kavous Seyed-Emami, ... Continue Reading>>
Four Conservation Scientists Arrested In Iran Charged with Capital Offenses
Taher Ghadirian, Houman Jowkar, Morad Tahbaz and Niloufar Bayani were charged with capital offenses, that could result in their execution, for their work monitoring rare and disappearing whildlife using camera traps. Two of the three scientists serve on the International Union for Conservation of Nature, all four are widely respected. Five other scientists were similarly arrested and charged - ... Continue Reading>>