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July 13, 2011

Round-up of News and Opinion

Iran Human Rights Documentation Center presents a chart of executions in Iran since the 2010, most confirmed by official and semi-official sources.In the Washington Post, Thomas Erdbrink reports on the effects of sanctions after the Obama administration issued a statement tying one of Iran's largest ports to the Revolutionary Guards
June 28, 2011

Stop the Violence against Women in the Near East

"It is shocking to see the current examples of structural violence against women from our neighbors in the South and the Near East," stated Ursula Plassnik, Special Rapporteur for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Women's Concerns."The murder of women's rights activist Haleh Sahabi, virginity tests for demonstrators arrested in Egypt, and Qadaffi's suspected use of special forces sanctioned to use rape as a weapon must be a wake-up call for the international community to continue pushing for women's rights and human rights in the region," demands Plassnik. "The UN, the EU, and the Arab League must urgently speak out on this matter. The disregard for the most fundamental human and women's rights should not stain the 'Arab Spring'."
June 1, 2011

Mourning the Death of Ezatollah Sahabi and His Daughter

Women's rights campaigner Haleh Sahabi, died of a heart attack this morning after a scuffle with plainclothes forces during the funeral for her father. Sahabi had been released on furlough in order to attend the funeral. She had been imprisoned since 2009.May 31, 2011 marked the death at 81 of Ezatollah Sahabi, a scholar, democracy activist, and former parliamentarian. Sahabi spent time in prison for his ideas both under the Shah and under the Islamic Regime. He was leader of the opposition party, the Nationalist-Religious Coalition (www.mellimazhabi.org/). The party had its roots in the political ideals of Prime Minister Mossadeq who was ousted by a coup in 1953.
May 30, 2011

Nassrin Sotoudeh's Birthday

It’s a good time to leave a birthday wish for the incarcerated human rights lawyer Nassrin Sotoudeh. Check out the Facebook Page and the letter she […]