Dabashi's "little torture"

by Julie Jigsawnovich

Hamid Dabashi's: "What's a little torture in Kahrizak and Evin...?" on CNN sounds more like PressTV.

Hamid Dabashi's states, "What's a little torture in Kahrizak and Evin over the last year compared to what the United States has done in Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay and Bagram Airbase in the course of its "war on terror" over the last decade?"  http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/06/11/dabashi.iran.green.movement/index.html?hpt=C2 

Wait a minute. This sounds more like Iran's State-run Press TV than CNN. And why is Dabashi comparing events during a one year period to cumulative events occurring during a decade as if they were of equal value? This is just plain illogical. 

Dabashi's statement makes it sound as though torture in Iranian prisons only occurred over the last year, when in fact torture has increased over the last year.  Torture has been practiced in the Islamic Repulic of Iran for decades. 

Amnesty International recently released a report which includes details of torture

http://thereport.amnesty.org/sites/default/files/AIR2010_EN_0.pdf

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran www.ihri.org is also a great resource of information regarding specific cases of torture.

The torture and the travesties of justice are becoming so extreme in Iran that even members of the staunch Revolutionary Guards are defecting. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2010/jun/11/iran-revolutionary-guard-defectors

I welcome investigations into torture anywhere committed by anyone, because torture is ethically indefensible--and I don't believe torture keeps us safe. The bottom line is that human rights should be respected everywhere, by everyone. 

Amnesty International "Words" Video

Worldwide Rallies for Iranian democracy, freedom and human rights

Come to a rally on Saturday July 25, in one of more than 50 cities around the world. If you don't see your city, you can contact the organizers and ask how you can get involved.
http://united4iran.org/

DEFEND HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN! Rally in NYC

                                                                        photo: Julie Jigsawnovich

by Julie Jigsawnovich

This rally was co-hosted by Amnesty International USA, Human Rights First, International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, and The Green Wave.

The Green Wave met at Union Square, and marched 45 blocks uptown to the rally at Columbus Circle through an intense thundershower. Better rainwater, than a rain of bullets! Chanting, "Down with the Dictators!" in the relative safety of New York--with encouragement from tourists, Afghan cooks and Seek cab drivers--was in stark contrast to terrifying violence inflicted upon voters demonstrating in Iran.

But in the back of my mind I knew that, in this age of lethal "non-lethal weapons" and proposed legislation which could further limit the rights of citizens to legally assemble, the voter demonstrations in Iran--and international rallies supporting them--are sure to be closely watched by companies and individuals who would profit from expanded "crowd control."