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 cost of currency combined with crippling sanctions is hurting all sectors of Iran’s society from business owners to pharmaceutical manufacturers to the population at large. Iron sellers went on strike, a food for oil deal with Shell was blocked, and children are going malnourished. Iran’s workers suffer from unpaid wages and poor safety regulations. The subsidy [...]
The Editor. February 21, 2013
Arseh Sevom — From the “not again” department, we hear news that the Intelligence Ministry won’t let up on the BBC and continues to arrest, hold, and harass journalists and filmmakers. Meanwhile, Jafar Panahi receives international acclaim despite being under house arrest and banned from filmmaking. The South Pole could become a vacation spot for [...]
The Editor. February 14, 2013
Arseh Sevom — Student leader, Majid Tavakoli, locked up in prison in Iran, will be awarded the International Student Peace Prize in a ceremony in Norway on February 15. Authorities announce new categories of criminalized speech in advance of the upcoming presidential elections. Mehdi Karroubi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mir Hossein Mousavi remain under house arrest [...]
The Editor. February 7, 2013
This week we saw the arrest of the notorious Saeed Mortazavi following a very public power struggle on the floor of the parliament between the speaker, Ali Larijani, and the president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad joined the ranks of those on the receiving end of flying shoes during a trip to Egypt. And amidst worries about [...]
The Editor. January 31, 2013
Arseh Sevom –Everything has its place in Iran: monkeys in space and journalists in prison. And, oh what a prison! After prisoners complain of their conditions, parliamentarians visit Evin, calling it a “hotel.” Stoning makes a comeback — at least in print. The surveillance of Iran’s cafes is revealed when Cafe Prague closes its doors in [...]
The Editor. January 24, 2013
Arseh Sevom — Prison furloughs have been given to a number of prisoners of conscience even as Sakharov Prize winner Nasrin Sotoudeh was called back to prison after just three days. Public executions spark debate. Iranian State Television airs an “exposé” of CIA spying. Parliament debates restricting foreign travel for all women under 40 while [...]
The Editor. January 17, 2013
Arseh Sevom — Despite efforts to keep life-saving medicine from falling victim to sanctions, there is a shortage in Iran. “Free” elections is a hot topic while the squeeze on purchasing power worries a Revolutionary Guard Commander. Musicians find themselves behind bars and Yahoo! rolls out secure email. Killing Us Softly: Sanctions and Iran’s Health [...]
The Editor. January 10, 2013
We may have taken a break, but the news did not. So happy new year to all of our readers and a quick rundown of what’s in store in 2013′s first weekly review. We’ve got letters for you this week. The most heartbreaking comes from 21-year old Zanyar Moradi who begs the world to take [...]
The Editor. December 20, 2012
Some in Iran are feeling the effects of shortages of medicine and high prices more than others while an artist challenges passersby at the UN to confront the effects. Nassrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi receive the prestigious Sakharov Prize via proxy, calling for justice and freedom. Mohammad Maleki is called to serve a six-year prison [...]
The Editor. December 5, 2012
All over the world people who care about the fate of Nasrin Sotoudeh breathed a collective sigh of relief as word came in that her demands had been met, and she had ended her 49-day hunger strike. Dr. Mohammad Maleki wrote a powerful letter criticizing Iran’s Supreme Leader, the chief of the cybercrimes unit was [...]
The Editor. November 27, 2012
More than seven million students of all ages have dropped out of school due to economic hardships. Anesthesia is no longer readily available. Family, friends, and supporters call on the human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh to end her hunger strike. “Let the silent observers take over,” they urge. Families go without needed nutrients, even more workers lose their [...]
