Free Expression
Iran Tries to Neuter Foreign Media and International Press Freedoms
Iranian authorities should end their undue restrictions on and intimidation of foreign-based journalists and media outlets, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today. “Iranian authorities have long been repressing domestic journalists. Now it’s clear that they have turned an eye to neutering international press freedoms also,” said Campaign spokesperson Hadi Ghaemi. “We ...
Podcast 48: Underground Rock in Iran with Arash Sobhani, Pooya Hosseini, and Arash Farazman
For most of us, listening to any music that we want is just a way of life. But in Iran, musicians face censorship and Iranians cannot listen to anything they want. In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast, we talk to Arash Sobhani of Kiosk and Pooya Hosseini and Arash Farazman of Free Keys about the ...
Mohammad Davari’s Health Condition Deteriorates in Prison
Mohammad Davari, former editor-in-chief of Saham News website, has developed acute psychological illness in prison and is in critical condition, his brother Bijan Davari told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran in an interview. “Mohammad is not well at all. Besides psychological problems, he has chest pains and his teeth have gone bad,” ...
Special Rapporteur Receives Widespread Support in Human Rights Council
Iranian Delegate Responds Angrily Without Addressing Report's Content Head of Iran's Human Rights Council Mohammad Javad Larijani delivers his opening statements at today's Human Rights Council (Reporting ...
Faezeh Hashemi’s Six-Month Prison Sentence Upheld
A Tehran Appeals Court upheld the six-month prison sentence for Faezeh Hashemi, former Member of Parliament and editor-in-chief of the banned newspaper Zan, a source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. In addition to her prison sentence, Hashemi has also been banned from political and press activities for five years. ...
Video: Iranian Cinema Under Siege
The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has released a short video highlighting the plight of Iranian cinema. The video, “Iranian Cinema Under Siege” features Richard Peña, the director of the New York Film Festival, and Hamid Dabashi, professor at Columbia University, who discuss the extent of the government’s repression of Iranian filmmakers. Footage ...
Podcast 47: LGBT Rights in Iran in an Interview with Hossein Alizadeh
Most of us remember President Ahmadinejad’s infamous 2007 comment that homosexuals do not exist in Iran. In this Weekly Rights Podcast, we talk to Hossein Alizadeh, the Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator for the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. Hossein talks about what it’s like to be gay in Iran, and ...
Iranian Cinema: Acclaimed Abroad, Under Siege at Home (Commentary)
At a moment when millions of people — including many Iranians — were watching to see what Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi would say in his Oscar acceptance speech, Farhadi chose to talk about the concerns of the Iranian people and “the dust of politics” that has overshadowed the hopes and dreams of a nation. ...
Three Months into Detention, No Formal Charges
Three months after the arrest of Massoud Sepehr, his wife told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that it is still not clear why he was arrested. Sepehr is a Political Science lecturer at Shiraz Azad University who was arrested on 17 November 2011. ...
Supreme Leader Directly Responsible for Illegal Detentions of Opposition Leaders
(8 February 2012) Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, should immediately release the three opposition leaders who have spent the last year under illegal house arrest and stop using extrajudicial and inhumane methods to silence political opponents, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today. ...
Ahead of Elections, Arrests and Coerced Confessions Ramp Up
(2 February 2012) The Iranian judiciary should immediately stop its widespread campaign of intimidation against journalists and their family members, theInternational Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today. The Campaign also called for an end to the illegal coercion of detainees. ...
Revoke Execution Sentence of Web Programmer
(1 February 2012) Iran should immediately suspend the death sentence for web programmer and Canadian resident Saeed Malekpour and investigate allegations of his torture, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today. ...
Podcast 46: Iran’s Assault on Free Speech in an Interview with Mehrad Vaezinejad and Niousha Masoumi
What does the recent increase in the arrests of journalists in Iran have to do with the upcoming parliamentary elections in Iran? Mehrad Vaezinejad, a Middle East analyst based in London, explains that the two are actually related. We also speak with Niousha Masoumi, a friend of Parastoo Dokouhaki, a recently arrested journalist, who tells ...
Podcast 45: “Campaign 99” in an interview with Ali Abdi
Unless you live under a rock, you’ve no doubt heard of the Occupy Wall Street movement, brought together under the banner of ‘the 99%’. Today, we talk to Ali Abdi, Iranian student rights and LGBT activist, about “Campaign 99.” Campaign 99 is a global solidarity movement that listens to the stories of Occupy Wall Street ...
Iranian Judiciary Should Dismiss Ministry Order Against House of Cinema
(11 January 2012) The Iranian Judiciary should withdraw the Ministry of Culture order to shut down House of Cinema, the country’s leading independent film association, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today. Authorities should end the unlawful attacks on independent civil society organizations and on freedom of expression and association, the Campaign ...
Malaysian Security Officers Threaten to Deport Iranian Refugee and Activist
On 10 January 2011, Malaysian security officers allegedly threatened to deport refugee and activist journalist Ali Hosseinpoor Jamshidi back to Iran. Jamshidi is a coordinator of and contributor to several online pro-Green Movement news outlets and a host on the satellite station Rasa TV. Jamshidi told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that, in ...
Nasrin Sotoudeh
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Podcast 43: Internet Censorship in Iran- Interview with Mehdi Yahyanejad
We all use the internet. But what does it mean to use the internet in a country where freedom of speech is under assault? This week, we talk to Mehdi Yahyanejad, the founder of the Balatarin, the Persian language version of Reddit or Digg. Mr. Yahyanejad talks about the importance of Balatarin for human rights ...
Video: Free Nasrin Sotoudeh
Free Nasrin Sotoudeh Project: https://iranhumanrights.org/nasrin-sotoudeh/ Join the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran in calling for the release of lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is in prison for simply defending her clients and insisting that Iranian authorities respect human rights. Nasrin Sotoudeh has long been an outspoken advocate for the rights of women, children, and ...
Podcast 41: An Interview with Hamid Dabashi
In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast, we explore the topic of U.S. military intervention in Iran. We discuss the recent IAEA report and the increased talk amongst senior U.S. officials about bombing Iran. We talk to Columbia University Professor Hamid Dabashi about the effect of military action on the situation of human rights in Iran. ...
Weekly Rights Podcast 35
In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast: 100 political prisoners pardoned by Ayatollah Khamenei on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr; the Campaign, along with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi, speak out against the Iranian Central Bar Association for failing to come to the aid of its members; imprisoned journalist Keyvan Samimi requires immediate medical treatment; ...
Raising Their Voices: Iranian Civil Society Reflections on the Military Option
The possibility of a US military strike against Iran has been debated for almost a decade, since Iran’s nuclear program first gave rise to concerns about the possible development of a nuclear weapon and calls for exercising a “military option” to stop it. Some have also suggested an attack to change the government of Iran, ...
Weekly Rights Podcast 30
In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast: more than 50 officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran have been put on visa restriction lists by the US and UK; the son of political prisoner Heshmatollah Tabarzadi tells the Campaign of concern for Tabarzadi’s health; Hossein Ronaghi Maleki’s father is concerned for his son’s health in prison; ...
Weekly Rights Podcast 27
In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast: Rudi Bakhtiar of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran testifies at the United States Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing; the mothers of imprisoned American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal speak out; the Campaign joins a group calling for an investigation into prisoner rights violations; clashes continue in ...