Iran and Iraq: Human Rights and Religious Freedom Issues

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 "e;most serious crimes"e; 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.