پروژه انتخابات

Post image for Annual Report 2012: Letter from the President

Arseh Sevom–The complete annual report for 2012 is now ready for reading. The report does more than outline our organization’s accomplishments and finances over the past year, it also presents an overview of the context for civil society in Iran. Board President Bert Taken says, “During my two short visits to Iran in the mid 2000s, I was struck by the energy, creativity, and warmth of the people we met traveling through the country. During one trip, we brought several students and docents of Amsterdam’s Rietveld Academy for a two-week trip. We had tried to make plans in advance and were a bit frustrated at the difficulty of actually getting our schedules completely booked in advance. Would the trip be a disaster, we wondered? From the minute we arrived, however, our trip went like clockwork. Artists, architects, designers, and others were generous with their time and experiences, sharing so much with the group. This really gave me faith in the power of surprise when it comes to Iran. It reminds me that even in the darkest moments, that energy is out there, waiting for the opportunity. Even now, there are people who want nothing more than to work for a better society. Iran is not done surprising us, of that I am sure.Read more

Post image for Iran: Monitoring Out of Country Voting

The International Electoral Education Council (IEEC) is currently focusing on upcoming elections in several countries, including the June 14 elections in Iran. One of the programs being undertaken by the IEEC is the study of Iran’s Out of Country Voting (OCV) process. They have created documents to assist individuals and organizations interested in informal electoral observation at polling stations outside of Iran. Read more

press_freedomArseh Sevom — The elections are coming, which means candidates are finally registering, the internet is slowing, and paranoia is high. In the latest crackdown, dogs walked in public are being confiscated. Iran hasn’t budged on the press freedom index, hanging on to its spot as one of the six worst countries in the world. Workers refuse to let May Day go unnoticed: they celebrate, strike, and protest poor wages and even worse conditions. Ten political prisoners in Evin were transferred to solitary confinement, while permits have been issued for mining in protected natural areas. Read more

Free Speech

Thmbnail image Iran: No News is Bad News, Crackdown on Journalists

In the wake of a crackdown on journalists in Iran combined with the harassment of their family and friends, no news is bad news. The Ministry of Intelligence promises there won’t be an end to the arrests until the entire network is revealed, claiming that those arrested are being arrested for collaborating with foreign forces rather than working as journalists. Exiled journalist Masih Alinejad bitterly jokes of babies begging their mothers not to give birth so that they can avoid detention. Saghi Laghaie warns people to not share any details about those arrested that could be used against them. “Avoid writing about your shared memories or dialogues as they might be used against them…”

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Civil Society Watch

The Vahed Bus Union marks May Day

Arseh Sevom — The elections are coming, which means candidates are finally registering, the internet is slowing, and paranoia is high. In the latest crackdown, dogs walked in public are being confiscated. Iran hasn’t budged on the press freedom index, hanging on to its spot as one of the six worst countries in the world. Workers refuse to let May Day go unnoticed: they celebrate, strike, and protest poor wages and even worse conditions. Ten political prisoners in Evin were transferred to solitary confinement, while permits have been issued for mining in protected natural areas.

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Post of the Day

Nedas mother Iran-women day

Arseh Sevom — This week the mother of Neda, the young woman whose death was captured on camera during the demonstrations following the 2009 presidential elections, reminds us of international women’s day. (h/t United4Iran). Ban Ki Moon makes a statement for an end to violence against women and children. Iran’s sociologists report on growing sexual [...]

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Simple Security

P1120454

Arseh Sevom — Reports from the Islamic Republic of Iran about internet speeds, work to create a parallel cyber Iran, and the growing success of filtering systems paint a picture of desperate efforts to exert control over the population. Iran is not alone in its efforts. North Korea has their own “intranet” called Kwang Myong (“light” or “hope, fair, just, open”). The North Korean version duplicates external content it deems acceptable. Iran’s new closed intranet is expected to do the same, in a cyber version of what the state already does in traditional media by cherry-picking content from international sources and editing or translating it in ways that often distort the original meaning.

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