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February 17, 2025
Figure with multi-colored distortions in its head.
February 17, 2025
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Collective Trauma as an Obstacle to Democracy in Iran

The Iranian government’s long history of systematic repression has deeply traumatized its people, creating significant barriers to democratic change. Since the 1979 Revolution, state-induced violence—including mass executions, political purges, and suppression of protests—has fostered fear, distrust, and social fragmentation. This "culture of fear" erodes trust in institutions, fuels self-censorship, and hinders collective action. Women, ethnic minorities, and political dissidents face the harshest repression, exacerbating psychological and societal wounds. Addressing this trauma through truth-seeking, civic education, and international solidarity is crucial for breaking the cycle of fear and paving the way for a democratic future in Iran.
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November 2, 2014
November 2, 2014
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The First Day of School in Iran: You Can’t Say “That”

At the end of September, children all over Iran begin their first day of school. It's an exciting time, filled with hope and the promise of new friends and new experiences. For many children it's also about learning how different the world of the family is from the world outside the family. Many people were interviewed for this article. Some had come of age during the darkest days after the revolution, during the war with Iraq. Some had children who had recently begun school.
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April 17, 2014
April 17, 2014
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The Day I Became a Feminist

Arseh Sevom--Feminism is essentially the idea that women and men should have equal rights and opportunities. "The notion of freedom for men is not reality in Iran as long as women are not equal" Safoura Elyasi writes. She spoke to several Iranian male activists about their relationship to feminism. One told her: "A lot of people think that women are not currently in the right situation to be treated equally, so we should not extend equality to them. Equality needs to be in the act. It’s related to power. This idea that women are not ready for equality so they should not have it is flawed. In addition to civil actions, we need underlying cultural changes." In part one of a two part article, we hear from three different men.
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March 19, 2014
March 19, 2014
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Nasrin Sotoudeh: Equality Will Prevail

Arseh Sevom -- In this exclusive interview with Arseh Sevom editor Mohammad Reza Sardari, human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh discusses the very personal impact of her struggle for equality and justice. She tells of a young son who lost his childhood. “I grew up all of a sudden,” he tells her. In 2013, she was released from prison after serving three years of a six-year sentence for her activities defending the rights of her clients. In this interview, she reminds all of us that there is a price worth paying for the achievement of justice and equality.
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June 29, 2013
REFLECTIONS ON THE AMBIGUOUS UNIVERSALITY OF HUMAN RIGHTS: CYRUS THE GREAT’S PROCLAMATION AS A CHALLENGE TO THE ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY’S PERCEIVED MONOPOLY ON HUMAN RIGHTS
June 29, 2013
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What’s So Funny About Peace, Love, and Understanding in the #CyrusCylinder

The Cyrus Cylinder preserves a proclamation from Cyrus the Great which has been called the first declaration of human rights. Hirad Abtahi, first legal adviser of the Presidency of the International Criminal Court, examines the proclamation in a recently published book, stating that it can be summed up thematically as calling for dialogue, tolerance, and peace.
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January 29, 2013
January 29, 2013
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Iran: Bill Before Parliament Would Smother NGOs

The Main Shortcomings of the Non-Governmental Organizations Bill Arseh Sevom – In 2010, Arseh Sevom published a report on the Non-Governmental Organizations Bill, Legalizing the Murder […]
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