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Iran shuts down relief group fighting children’s poverty

Iranian activists are outraged by the Islamic Republic’s decision to ban a charity foundation known for its criticism of the Islamic Republic and its independent mission toward eradicating poverty among children.
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The Iranian judiciary has issued a ruling that effectively outlaws Imam Ali’s Popular Students Relief Society (IAPSRS), a charity organization dedicated to uprooting poverty and improving education among children in Iran’s most destitute areas.

The news about the ban was broken by the foundation’s lawyer, Saeid Dehghan, on March 3 as he lamented “the show trial” in which the verdict “had apparently been drafted already” before any defenses were presented. The ruling came only 10 days after a lawsuit filed by Iran’s Interior Ministry over the organization’s “failure to carry out administrative reforms” and claims about charter violations.

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