Editor – Page 12 – Arseh Sevom

November 6, 2013

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Civil Society Watch

#Iran — Ssshh…People are Dying Here

Arseh Sevom- This week’s review is unfortunately focused on the treatment of political prisoners in Iran. Events of the past months demand this. The season marking the anniversary of the taking of the American Embassy seems to endanger Iran’s homegrown activists more than it hurts the US with the chanting of “Death to America.” At a time when Iranians are hoping for change, and especially at this time, it’s necessary to put pressure on Iran’s government to improve the conditions for all of its prisoners and urgently for its political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.

October 28, 2013

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Civil Society Watch

#Iran — Executions and Ideological Struggles

Arseh Sevom -- The ideological struggle between reform and restriction is being played out in many arenas in Iran. Last week, hardliners hung billboards opposing negotiation with the West, this week they were taken down and replaced with less combative messages. The ministry of culture promised to liberalize the publication process, while a reformist newspaper was ordered shut down. For those condemned to execution in Iran, there has been no change for the better, with increases in the number of executions. This was dramatically played out over the weekend when 16 prisoners were executed in response to a deadly attack on Iran's border guards.

October 21, 2013

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#Iran: Let’s Make a (Nuclear) Deal

Arseh Sevom -- Nuclear negotiations are eclipsing other news in Iran. There are hopes that an agreement can be reached and that at least some of the sanctions will be relaxed. Attention to foreign relations seems to have left the Rouhani administration with little time to address domestic issues. This has led to a number of unfulfilled promises and a slow pace of change domestically. The application of economic sanctions continues to overreach their mandate, with internet freedom suffering. Wishes did not come true when it comes to the release from house arrest of Green Movement leaders. And theater goers in Tehran eagerly anticipate the opening of The Hills Are Alive, based on The Sound of Music.

October 14, 2013

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Civil Society

Azerbaijan: Rebuilding Culture from the Ruins

Arseh Sevom -- In the first of a two-part article documenting his conversation with Azeri opposition member "O.", Arturo Desimone uncovers a movement struggling to reclaim its heritage of critical thinking. It does this through education, translations, and social movements. After ninety years under Soviet Rule followed by authoritarian rule rife with human rights abuses, O. describes a society in need of reconnecting to its own culture and in learning again to question, think critically, and create its own Enlightenment.

October 9, 2013

Pay no attention to the executions behind the curtain

October 9, 2013

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#Iran — Has the Time Come for a Thaw in Relations with Its Own People?

Pay no attention to the executions behind the curtainArseh Sevom -- In this week's overview, we learn that the short term political aims of sanctions have long term effects on the most vulnerable. Improved relations may actually lead to some ease in US sanctions. This would most likely only sanctions that are the result of executive orders. Sanctions signed into law by the US congress are unlikely to be changed. Over 100 tons of illegal drugs were seized in Tehran. We are not talking about recreational drugs here, many of them were difficult to find treatments. In a carnival-like atmosphere, the Iranian military destroyed equipment for over 800 satellite connections with tanks and bulldozers. Despite the kinder, gentler face Iran is showing the world, executions continue at a record rate and Internet freedom is at an all-time low. Will the Iranian government start thawing relations with its own population next?

October 7, 2013

October 7, 2013

Categories

Civil Society Cookbook

Taking Witness Testimony

Gissou Nia, the director of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, talked to Arseh Sevom about best practices for interviewing to document human rights violations. This post presents a brief overview of the key points. This does not cover all the points made, so be sure to watch the video too.

October 7, 2013

Categories

Civil Society

Event: Does the #CyrusCylinder Still Speak to Us Today

On October 10, 2013 Hirad Abtahi, first legal adviser of the Presidency of the International Criminal Court, will be speaking to The World Affairs Council of Orange County as part of the panel discussion "Light from the Ancient Past: Does the Cyrus Cylinder Still Speak to Us Today?". Abtahi is author of the book ‘’Reflections on the Ambiguous Universality of Human Rights: Cyrus the Great’s Proclamation as a Challenge to the Athenian Democracy Perceived Monopoly on Human Rights" published by Arseh Sevom and distributed by Pegah Distribution.

September 30, 2013

September 30, 2013

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#Iran — Is Rouhani The One

Arseh Sevom—Could Hassan Rouhani be The One? Since Rouhani’s inauguration, a number of prisoners of conscience have been released, a more than thirty year freeze in relations between the US and Iran defrosting, and hopes raised. Some of the sanctions have been eased and tons of medications are being cleared through customs. After his return from the US, Rouhani faced both support and opposition at the airport and at least one shoe was thrown in anger. The times they are a-changing…maybe. And, in the case of Iran's women's Kata team, who were disqualified for wearing too much hijab, they are not changing soon enough. In the case of Iran's women's Kata team, who were disqualified for wearing too much hijab, they are not changing soon enough.in the case of Iran's women's Kata team, who were disqualified for wearing too much hijab, they are not changing fast enough.

September 18, 2013

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#Iran — The Smell of Change

Arseh Sevom -- As we were getting ready to post this week's review, we heard the good news that Nassrin Sotoudeh and eight other political prisoners had been released from prison. Author Pejman Majidzadeh's nose must really be filled with the smell of change now. In this week's review, he introduces the JUST ACCESS campaign against the unintended effects of economin sanctions. The US Treasury department has issued two new general licenses for humanitarian aid and amateur athletic events. We read of a letter exchange between Obama and Rouhani. Iran's beleagured House of Cinema has now been reopened. The case of the house-imprisoned Green Movement leaders is finally going to court. The Supreme Leader hints at better relations between the US and Iran. Iranians wonder what happened to two billion dollars in oil revenues.