Film Director Jafar Panahi on Hunger Strike in Evin Prison

Internationally acclaimed Iranian director has made several movies addressing laws and customs in Iran that discriminate against women.  In "Offside," young women dress and men to gain entrance into a soccer stadium where women are forbidden.



Panahi was arrested in early March 2010 in Iran, "culminating months of obvious and hidden pressure on the independent filmmaker from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence" the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported. Jafar Panahi is on hunger strike, and his demands for ending his hunger strike include contact and visits with his family, consultation with and representation by a lawyer, unconditional release until his trial date and final verdict, and in case he dies soon, that his body be delivered to his family to bury wherever they like. ICHRI reports that Panahi stated in his letter dated 18 May 2010, ”I have not taken any food or liquids since Sunday morning [16 May 2010], and I would like to announce that unless the following demands are met, I will continue to refrain from eating and drinking, as I do not wish to turn into a guinea pig who is put under various torture, psychological and mental abuse, and subjected to false accusations...I swear upon the cinema in which I believe, that I will not stop my hunger strike until my demands are met...”

Iran Sentences Female Activists

Saeed Valadbaygi writes in astreetjournalist.com that:

"An Iranian court has convicted two activists in absentia and sentenced them to jail and lashes over a 2007 protest.

"The court tried the two women, [Shadi Sadr and Mahbubeh Abbas-Gholizadeh] both of whom are currently abroad, on May 8 over a March 2007 rally outside a revolutionary court where four fellow feminists were on trial.

"Both have campaigned to abolish the practice of stoning adulterers to death.

"Sadr, a lawyer and journalist, was awarded the Polish Lech Walesa Prize in September 2009 for promoting “human rights, freedom of expression and democracy in Iran.”

A chance to stand tall against Iran on human rights

Journalist Roxana Saberi was detained in Evin Prison last year. She recently wrote a book about her experiences, Between Two Worlds. Saberi also contributed to the Cannes award-winning film, No One Knows About The Persian Cats.

In today's Washington Post, Saberi writes:

"As the international community focuses on Iran's nuclear program, it should also make human rights a first-tier issue. When the U.N. Human Rights Council meets in Geneva next month, Washington and the European Union should lead calls for a resolution setting up a mechanism to investigate human rights atrocities in Iran during the past year. A bigger push should be made to send a U.N. special envoy on human rights to Iran and to aid Iranians, including the many journalists forced to flee their country out of fear of persecution.

But perhaps even more important than government efforts is the outcry of ordinary people worldwide. When everyday citizens speak out against Iran's human rights violations, Tehran has a tougher time asserting that their calls have been masterminded by foreign governments."

Animated Video Memorial for 5 Executed Yesterday in Iran

The female teacher and social worker executed Sunday, Farzad Kamangar, was condemned to death after a seven minute trial with "zero evidence," reports International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

Five "پنج تن" by Soheil Tavakoli

Created by Soheil Tavakoli to protest against execution of 5 political prisoners by Iran's regime on May 09, 2010 - Free Political Prisoners, Free Iran این نقاشی ویدئو در ...

click through for widescreen.

7min Trial with "Zero" Evidence Results in Execution in Iran

International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reports:
Iran: Political Executions Indication of Government’s Insecurity

Pressure on Mohammad Davari for Confessions Continues Despite Hunger Strikes

Mohammed Davari served as opposition candidate Mehdi Karroubi’s Chief of Staff as well as Editor-in-Chief of Saham News. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reports that, "...Davari is still being subjected to mistreatment, and physical and psychological abuse with the aim of extracting fake confessions from him" about "…claims and evidence produced by Mehdi Karroubi regarding systematic torture and instances of rape of men and women in prisons and detention centers where protesters were taken.

"Mohammad Davari is a member of The Iranian Teachers’ Association. He was arrested on 8 September 2009 after security forces stormed Mehdi Karroubi’s personal offices as well as Etemad-e Melli Party’s headquarters."

Hadi Ghaemi, Executive Director of International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, addressed pro-democracy and pro-human rights activists near the UN last Monday--the day that Ahmadinejad gave a speech regarding the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Poll: Majority of Israel's Jews back gag on rights groups

While we are on the topic of freedom of the press, Or Kashti reports in Haaretz.com, that "More than half of Jewish Israelis think human rights organizations that expose immoral behavior by Israel should not be allowed to operate freely, and think there is too much freedom of expression here, a recent survey found.

"The survey, commissioned by the Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research at Tel Aviv University, will be presented Wednesday at a conference on the limits of freedom of expression."

What's the next step? Detaining and imprisoning journalists, as in Iran?

World Press Distracted by Boobquake while Iran Maneuvers Into Women's Rights Commission

by Julie Jigsawnovich

Blogger Jennifer McCreight, who created Boobquake, must now use her marketing skills, new-found fame, and press contacts to seriously address international women's rights. And organizations seeking to elevate women's rights must acknowledge the power that sexuality has in marketing to the West. The fine lines between freedom of expression, distraction, empowerment, exploitation and oppression may have entered public debate between Islam and the West in new ways thanks (there's some irony here) to McCreight and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Fox New reports:
"NEW YORK — Without fanfare, the United Nations this week elected Iran to its Commission on the Status of Women, handing a four-year seat on the influential human rights body to a theocratic state in which stoning is enshrined in law and lashings are required for women judged 'immodest.'

"Just days after Iran abandoned a high-profile bid for a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council, it began a covert campaign to claim a seat on the Commission on the Status of Women, which is "dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women," according to its website.
Buried 2,000 words deep in a U.N. press release distributed Wednesday on the filling of 'vacancies in subsidiary bodies,' was the stark announcement: Iran, along with representatives from 10 other nations, was "elected by acclamation," meaning that no open vote was requested or required by any member states — including the United States."

Meanwhile, the Official facebook page for Boobquake gathered 213,899 confirmed guests (myself among them), and 70,619 guests maybe attending.

In her article for The Daily Beast, Jennifer McCreight, the blogger who initiated Boobquake includes information about the press she received regarding the event. McCreight reports that, "I was interviewed by CNN, BBC, CBC, ABC, FOX, WLFI (our local news affiliate), and that’s just naming a few. Articles about Boobquake appeared on every continent except Antarctica…Boobquake received support and commentary from people like Roger Ebert, Penn Jillette, Phil Plait from the Bad Astronomy blog, “The Bloggess,” Bill Corbett of Mystery Science Theater and Philip DeFranco, the video blogger. But the cherry on top was a skit about Boobquake on the Colbert Report."

With international press frothing over Boobquake, who covered the letter signed by international women's rights, human rights, and anti-violence groups and notable Iranian activists both inside and outside Iran sent to the U.N. ? Well, Radio Zamaneh and En.IranGreenVoice.com reported it. I hope others also reported this letter.

This article posted by S.B. Anderlini, Hadi Ghaemi, and Dokhi Fassihian on ForeignPolicy.com expressed the devastating implications of Iran having a seat on the UN Commission on the Status of Women, including:

"First, Iran will claim the win as a major diplomatic victory and indication of an international community that supports and respects it. Second, as a member of the CSW Iran will be well placed to shape the agenda for discussion and the recommendations made. It will bring the same regressive attitudes and cynicism towards women that it enacts in Iran to the global community. No doubt it will have cheerleaders among other nations that prefer to see women as second class citizens.

"Finally, as a CSW member, Iran will be well placed to block the participation of independent women's human rights groups from UN forums, while easing the way for its many counterfeit or ‘government-led non-governmental organizations' (GONGOs) to participate at the UN as if they are legitimate independent civil society and human rights defenders."

PROTEST AT THE U.N. AGAINST AHMADINEJAD SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY

Iranian Women's Right Activists Protest Iran Bid for CSW Seat

Radio Zamaneh reported today that: A group of Iranian women’s right activists have written a letter to the United Nations to speak out against Iran’s efforts in joining the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

The letter calls on the United Nation’s Economic and Social Council to deny Iran’s bid for membership in the CSW.
The Commission on the Status of Women is a functional commission of the United Nation’s Economic and Social Council that "is dedicated to gender equality and advancement of women."

The letter calls on the Council to stop Iran’s membership in the CSW or at least accept the bid only on the condition that Iran commits to International agreements on equal rights.

Last week Iran announced that it has withdrawn its bid for membership in the United Nation's Human Rights Council and instead announced its candidacy for the CSW.

The Iranian women’s rights activists write that the membership of the Islamic Republic in this Commission “is a serious threat for the aims and ideals of the Commission and in contradiction to its nature as it is also a threat against peace, equality and global security.”

The letter is signed by over 250 women’s rights activists.

Women’s rights and human rights activists have often accused Iran of violating the rights of women, ethnic and religious minorities, as well as ignoring international human rights conventions.

CSW membership elections are set for Wednesday. Roozonline reports that Pakistan and Thailand have retracted their candidacy for the empty seat at this Commission in favour of Iran and made Iran’s membership in the CSW definitive at this point.

Iran's Bait and Switch

by Julie Jigsawnovich

After visiting Iran, I learned that women there have fewer rights than women in many other predominantly muslim countries including Syria, Egypt and Malaysia. It seemed peculiar that the IRI recently withdrew their audacious attempt at membership in the U.N. Human Rights Council, only to announce their plans to join the U.N. Commission for the Status of Women. This resembled a grasp at straws of ethical respectability, especially after the regime's brutal crackdown. The rape and murder of female and male opposition candidate supporters has been widely reported not only by the international press, but also addressed by elected officials inside Iran including Mehdi Karroubi.* 

Tuesday S.B. Anderlini, Hadi Ghaemi, and Dokhi Fassihian reported  that the UN's Commission for the Status of Women (CSW), comprising 45 countries, is the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to the advancement of women. Its mandate is "to evaluate progress, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women worldwide."


"Iran does not deserve a spot on the commission; it should earn it by providing Iranian women their basic human rights. Yet on Wednesday, Iran is likely to ascend to the CSW because it agreed to pull out of running for the Human Rights Council in exchange for securing an uncontested seat for the CSW. That it can do so, with such ease, is a denigration of the very principles for which the CSW and UN stand." 

END THE EXECUTIONS

Click through for widescreen.

New video from International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran

British-Iraqi Rapper Lowkey is in New York

by Julie Jigsawnovich


Tonight British-Iraqi, Palestinian and American rappers will perform and have a panel discussion at 7:30pm in Held Auditorium, Barnard College in Manhattan. They are seeking to promote Hip Hop as a means of addressing social justice problems.

Included will be MC Lowkey, a half-British half-Iraqi rapper, who created a song called, "Long Live Palestine" together with Palestinian, Syrian, Iranian and American rappers. Part 2 of the song specifically addresses the Israeli bombing of Gaza.

I saw Lowkey speak on a panel with Professor Norman Finkelstein, Jody McIntyre, Jajla Said, Hurriyah, Lamis Deek, MC Immortal Technique, MC Hasan Salaam and others a few nights ago at Alwan for the Arts in Manhattan. Key points generally advocated during the discussions were: 1.) Ending ethic cleansing of Palestinians 2.) Equal rights for Palestinians and Jews 3.) A secular, non-racist government which would govern a single state which would include what is currently named Israel and the Palestinian Territories. The majority on the panel didn't seem to believe a two-state solution is feasible any longer.

Although some of their ideas may seem politically radical within the generally pro-Israel context of New York, they reflected a spirit of fairness rather than retribution. And the proposals were based on reason rather than religion. In fact there was a marked absence of religious and/or violent rhetoric. Although the speakers were passionate, their language was not fiery.

During the discussion, MC Lowkey did mention the level of military support the U.S. gives to Israel. And Lowkey recently made a song and video bitterly critical of President Obama, and of specific historical and current U.S. foreign policies and actions. The irony of course, is that his right to make these criticisms here in the U.S. is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, by American cultural norms and even, one could argue, by U.S. foreign policies and military actions which have defended freedom of speech. Yet Lowkey's criticisms have an element of Kant's Categorical Imperative. As part of the process of finding out whether something is morally correct, one asks oneself--how would the world be if everyone did the same thing I want to do?

I talked to Lowkey briefly before the panel discussion, and showed him An Open Letter of Reconciliation and Responsibility written by two former specialists, U.S. Army--one of whom carried the 10 year old Iraqi girl in his arms in the infamous "Collateral Damage" video leaked to Wikileaks--as he sought to bring her to medical treatment. Lowkey responded to my placing this letter in his hands by saying, "I wondered how it was for the people there on the ground." He told me he would read the letter later in private. It will be interesting to find out his response to it, and see him speak again tonight.

I truly cherish the rights to free speech and public debate so associated with America. This country gave birth to Hip Hop. It's hopeful to see people from other countries exploring the constructive potential of this art form, especially when they advocate winning hearts and minds for positive social change rather than advocating violence. And when they have such mad skills and flow on the mike!

Akbar Ganji Wins Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty

Akbar Ganji, an Iranian writer and journalist who spent 6 years in a Tehran prison for advocating a secular democracy and exposing government involvement in the assassination of individuals who opposed Iran's theocratic regime, has been named the 2010 winner of the Cato Institute's Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty.

Amnesty International "Words" Video

Re-writing History in Texas and Iran

by Julie Jigsawnovich


Iran's Education Minister set up a committee to eliminate kings from textbooks. That's a lot of kings! Iran's history goes back thousands of years!  Would the Minister like to pretend it only goes back to 1979? The ancient Iranian king, Soroush (Cyrus), wrote the first human rights document. Now the Education Minister wants to delete him altogether? http://www.iranian.com/main/2010/apr/removing-kings-history

The Texas School Board is considering removing Thomas Jefferson from the list of Enlightenment thinkers.  Jefferson was a strong proponent of the separation of church and state, in addition to drafting the American Declaration of Independence!  This is only one of many changes being considered.  The vote on changes is in May. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/04/20104933515560979.html

These proposed removals surely recall the character in George Orwell's book, 1984, whose job was to constantly remove anything and anyone from books and media that did not support propaganda currently put forth by Big Brother.  Will the book, 1984, itself is removed someday? --Julie Jigsawnovich

1st Grade Teacher Arrested in Mosque, Raped by Prison Guards in Iran

An Iranian friend sent this to me in an email.  The original letter, in Farsi, was published here.

Even though I turned into Autumn I am more beautiful now/ 

A letter of suffering by Bahareh, 

a squished corn-poppy of Iran (victim of rape)/

arrested in July 2009 at Ghoba Mosque

"My name is Bahar (Spring in Persian). It's Spring and I write to you of flowers--but flowers with scattered petals. I write to you of the green and of sprouts but squished sprouts, trampled on by hatred, the hatred towards beauty and whatever is beautiful--as displayed by ugly souls, the hatred towards those who seek justice--by a bunch of sell outs. I write to you of those who are not real men. 

My name is Bahareh Maghami, 28 years old and there is nothing left of me and no reason to hide my name anymore. I have lost all who were important to me one day. I have lost relatives and friends, neighbors and companions, coworkers and colleagues. I have lost them all. Those who pretend to be men stole it all from me so unfairly. They stole my life.

Now that I have left the country, I want to share my pain with someone, even if only once. I also like to ask other friends who have experienced a similar painful fate to write. They must write what happened to them. Even if they fear their lives or dignity, they should use anonymous names but they must write. They must write so that history is aware of what happened to our generation; to this grief-stricken generation. They must write so that those who come after us and live in a free Iran know what price was paid for their freedom; how many lives were burnt and how hopes vanished; they must know about the broken backs and bent knees!

When my father found out, his back broke. He was shattered into pieces. My mom aged a hundred years overnight. My brother: I still haven't been able to look into my brother's eyes and he doesn't look at me either; he doesn't want me to suffer any more than I already have. When he found out, it was like they took away his manhood. When he found out that there are people who pretend to be men but the only thing left of it is their genitals, he began to hate his own manhood. For them dignity, nobility and chastity have no meaning. I was a first grade teacher. I was teaching the little flowers of our country how to read and write. I was teaching them "Dad brought water", "That man comes", "That man brings bread". For me the image of a man was the kind breadwinner. I was waiting for him to arrive. And now that image has changed. He is angry and blinded by his desires. I cannot rid myself of his infectious smell of sweat. I am always scared of him coming back. I jump out of bed in the middle of the night fearing his footsteps. My whole body shakes with the smallest sounds and my heart starts beating faster fearing his arrival. I am always ready to escape. I leave the lights on at nights and I pass the days with tears and grief! 

Torture is Unnecessary for Keeping a Country Safe

The ban on "waterboarding" has not hampered U.S. intelligence gathering at all, says "top C.I.A. spy".http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0403/cias-top-spy-intelligence-suffered-all-waterboarding-ban/

Young Iranian girl begging God to kill her and not let 4 Basiji men rape her

I don't understand Farsi well enough to verify that is what she is saying, so I'm hoping a Farsi speaker will verify it for me. I've been told that rape is against Islam. Will Basiji who are committing these crimes, and the regime allowing or encouraging these crimes, cause a splitting off of Basij who are allegedly moral and interested in social justice? Somebody made this audio recording.  And somebody leaked it somehow.  

Petraeus on Israel, Iran & Human Rights

Zionist hardliners 
are unhappy with Gen. Petraeus. Perhaps Islamist hardliners are too. The Statement Gen. Petraeus filed with the Senate Armed Services Committee is shockingly frank. 

"The Iranian regime’s domestic activities are also troubling, as its recent violent suppression of opposition groups and popular protests has violated the human rights of the Iranian people and fomented further instability and unrest and increased the role of the security forces in the affairs of the state." pg. 10

"...there are a number of cross-cutting issues that serve as major drivers of instability, inter-state tensions, and conflict. These factors can serve as root causes of instability or as obstacles to security. Insufficient progress toward a comprehensive Middle East peace: The enduring hostilities between Israel and some of its neighbors present distinct challenges to our ability to advance our interests in the AOR. Israeli-Palestinian tensions often flare into violence and large-scale armed confrontations. The conflict foments anti-American sentiment, due to a perception of U.S. favoritism for Israel. Arab anger over the Palestinian question limits the strength and depth of U.S. partnerships with governments and peoples in the AOR and weakens the legitimacy of moderate regimes in the Arab world. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda and other militant groups exploit that anger to mobilize support. The conflict also gives Iran influence in the Arab world through its clients, Lebanese Hizballah and Hamas." pg.12

"A credible U.S. effort on Arab-Israeli issues that provides regional governments and populations a way to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the disputes would undercut Iran’s policy of militant “resistance,” which the Iranian regime and insurgent groups have been free to exploit. Additionally, progress on the Israel-Syria peace track could disrupt Iran’s lines of support to Hamas and Hizballah." pg.33

All excerpts from STATEMENT OF GENERAL DAVID H. PETRAEUS, U.S. ARMY COMMANDER U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND BEFORE THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE ON THE POSTURE OF U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND 16 MAR 2010, found at: http://armed-services.senate.gov/statemnt/2010/03%20March/Petraeus%2003-16-10.pdf

Culture of Human Rightsفرهنگ حقوق بشر

English and Persian

Original widescreen here.