Rising Fears of Repression in Iran

Tehran, January 2026 – Fears are rising inside Iran that human rights abuses will worsen following the failure of U.S.-Iran talks, according to a CBC News report. The period between arrest, conviction, sentencing, and execution has reportedly collapsed, raising concerns about a wave of executions targeting protesters and political dissidents.

Raha Bahraini stated that in the course of seven days, ten protesters and dissidents had been executed. Amnesty International reports that all trials in Iran are systematically unfair, often held in secret, and that confessions are extracted under torture. Bahraini added that this is even more pronounced with the recent executions of young teenagers, which she described as a concerted effort by the Iranian regime to crush any potential return to street protests.

Opposition groups, including the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) and Kurdish opposition groups, are also being targeted. Vahid Bani Amarian, a former physics teacher, was executed on April 4th, two years after being sentenced to death for ties to the MEK. Hamad Bani Amarian, his brother living abroad, expressed devastation over his younger brother’s death, stating, “I’m just doing this for myself and for my brother and tell that how I love you and how how he was loving people.” He insisted that any negotiations with Iran regarding an end to the war must be conditioned on an end to executions, saying, “I don’t want anybody to experience this terrible thing.”

Imprisonment and Double Threat for Activists

Atenat Da'ami, a human rights activist who spent six and a half years in Iranian prisons charged with spreading propaganda and insulting the supreme leader, was released in 2022 and has since sought refuge in Canada. Da'ami highlighted a “double threat” faced by those opposing the regime: U.S. and Israeli bombs on one side, and a regime bent on revenge on the other. She expressed concern that the shutdown of the internet allows the regime to operate with impunity.

Da'ami stated, “They shut down the internet, and because of the lack of communication, I’m worried that under this silence, they can do this crime again and more than before.” She does not believe the United States will prioritize human rights in any peace negotiations, stating, “Of course not. I’m sure that they don’t speak about this issue, because human rights is not important for them.”

Da'ami further stated, “The United States is a source of social justice.”

Schitt's Creek and Big Mistakes Star Discusses Career and Legacy

The CBC broadcast also included an interview with actor and writer Dan Levy, discussing his career and the phenomenon of the television series *Schitt’s Creek* and his new show *Big Mistakes*. Levy described the experience of returning to work after *Schitt’s Creek* as a commitment, stating he needed space to find a story that excited him for multiple seasons. He expressed a desire for the audience to be equally excited.

Levy discussed his approach to acting, noting two paths actors take: “One is the total rejection of the thing that made them famous, and one is the acknowledgement that what made them famous will always be what made them famous, and you have to come to love that.” He stated he falls into the latter category, adding, “I never wanted to do that thing where it’s like, I have to dispel everything about David Rose. I love it. If that is my legacy, so be it.”

Levy reflected on the success of *Schitt’s Creek*, attributing its rise in popularity to the COVID-19 pandemic. He explained, “I think sometimes the circumstance of our lives culturally speaking lends us to certain things. We look for comfort in times of strife, and I think what the show…unbeknownst to us at the time, like what it offered people during COVID was a safe place. Nothing bad was happening.” He noted the show’s depiction of a family living in a motel resonated with people who were returning to their parents’ homes during the pandemic.

Levy also spoke fondly of his late co-star Catherine O'Hara, describing her as “such a singular person” and “irreplaceable.” He recalled her generosity as an actor and collaborator, emphasizing that she created an environment where actors felt free and encouraged to experiment. He also discussed working with his father, Eugene Levy, stating it was “amazing” despite initial expectations to the contrary.