Publisher's Synopsis
The Islamic Republic of Iran is an authoritarian theocratic republic with a Shia Islamic political system based on velayat-e faqih (guardianship of the jurist). Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings by the government and its agents, most commonly executions for crimes not meeting the international legal standard of "most serious crimes" or for crimes committed by juvenile offenders, as well as after trials without fair trial guarantees. Iraq is a constitutional parliamentary republic. Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings by the government; forced disappearances by the government; torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment by the government and harsh and life-threatening prison conditions.
