The Human Rights Watch on Sunday said Iran'spost-election unrest is a "full-blown human rights crisis," and calledon Teheran to free government critics detained during the crackdown.
Ina report published Sunday, the New York-based watchdog said the"systematic and brutal targeting" of demonstrators and dissidents bysecurity forces after the June presidential elections was an attempt"to silence voices of dissent."
Thousands of peaceful protesters, including students, lawyersand prominent human rights activists have been detained in a crackdownthat has turned into "a human rights disaster," the watchdog said inits annual report on human rights violations and abuses worldwide.
The chapter on Iran - one of 15 Middle Eastern countries reviewed by the group - was released in Dubai on Sunday.