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The Usual

As I was picking titles for the pieces below, it struck me as how repetitive this blog has become. But I can blame it on the Iranian authorities for being repetitive in their crackdown on anything that is remotely associated with exercising your rights as an individual. I hope you enjoy the tedium.  

Cyber halalisation

Minister of Communications, Reza Taghipour, has ordered all institutions affiliated with the Islamic Republic to stop using foreign email services such as Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail and MSN and instead use domestic email services to maintain security and keep information from leaking. This guideline goes further and obliges all official web-hosting, internet and domain names to be registered at www.nic.ir.

Segregation by sex 

As part of gender segregation agenda, it is no secret to anyone that the Islamic Republic has prohibited women from attending sport games for a long time. As noted last week, more gender segregation policies are reinforced in universities as well as other organizations. On a positive move though, to comply with Asian Football Confederation regulation on no gender discrimination over attendance, the head of Iran’s Football Federation, has announced that Iranian women can attend the Asian Youth Football Championship games in Tehran.

Free Press 

Iranian journalists have called on head of judiciary Sadegh Larijani and Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani to take action against the on-going repression in the country.  The statement continues as “We call for an end to the flogging; we call for an end to all forms of lawlessness, injustice and disrespect towards those who hold the pen. We call for the implementation of the law. We seek respect for the pen.”

Religious minorities

Baha'i Faith notes the fourth anniversary of seven prominent members of the community. The five men and two women, who had formed an ad hoc group to highlight and address the needs of Iran’s 300,000 Baha’i community, were sentenced in August 2010 to 20 years in prison. 

Forced confessions

Prominent human rights attorney Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, under threat of a nine-year prison sentence, has said that he is under regime pressure to make a false televised confession or go to prison.

Moral police

I don’t even know where to begin; the cruel and inhuman behaviour of the “moral police” who is trying to “guide” Iranians on how to dress accordingly, or the indifference of those who are passing by as if nothing is happening. I leave it to you.

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