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.
The Editor. December 24, 2012
So Facebook is Halal all of a sudden?
Despite condemnation of social media, it appears that Ayatollah Khamenei now has his own Facebook page. Censorship is as active on Facebook as any other media in Iran — critical comments come down as fast as they go up. Read more to find out what kind of response there has been to the Supreme Leader’s new Facebook presence,
The Editor. August 7, 2012
We would be remiss if we didn’t congratulate Iran’s Olympic athletes, so congratulations to them. This week, the head of Iran’s Hemophilia Center reminds the world of the unintended consequences of the sanctions: blocked payments for life-saving medications. Girls and women are told they can no longer study a wide range of subjects from engineering [...]
The Editor. April 23, 2012
Arseh Sevom — It was hard not to be concerned over the state of civil society in Iran last week with the arrest of human rights defender Narges Mohammadi, the sentencing of Mansoureh Behkish who is a member of the Mourning Mothers, and the ongoing battle against free speech and free information. The one positive [...]
The Editor. April 19, 2012
Arseh Sevom — Claims that Iran will launch a “national internet” at the end of August, cutting off access to Google, Hotmail, and other external services, were denied by communications minister Reza Taghipour. He issued a statement denying plans to cut access to the internet calling the whole thing a “13th of Farvardin prank” [the [...]
The Editor. April 17, 2012
Butcher of the Press leaves…Not! Regular readers of Arseh Sevom’s weekly review won’t be surprised to find that former Tehran prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi, is topping headlines once again. This time with rumors of his resignation after a contested promotion to director of the biggest financial holding organization in Iran, Social Security Organization [Sazman-e Tamin-e Ejtema’ie]. [...]
The Editor. April 9, 2012
Arseh Sevom — This weekly review features thinly veiled threats from the state to publishers, more censorship from officials, continued suffering of prisoners of conscience, and efforts to revive the extinct Caspian tiger. Publishers vs. the Islamic Republic The Islamic Republic’s clash with private publishers has reached alarming levels and, according to a recent report [...]
