censorship

By Michael Gould-Wartofsky ( Tomdispatch.com) – “There must be some kind of way out of here…” As night fell over the South River Forest, the music festival was in full swing. Young and old swayed to the sounds of Suede Cassidy. Families gathered around the grill. Little ones frolicked in an inflatable bouncy house bedecked […]

censorship

Daniel Ellsberg: The Most Dangerous Man in America

Peter G. Prontzos

Vancouver (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – Former Defense Department analyst Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers to the media in 1971, died on June 16. When Ellsberg (with the help of Anthony J. Russo) released the Pentagon Papers to the media in 1971, he expected to spend the rest of his […]

censorship

Governments at Bonn Climate Talks Should Press United Arab Emirates on Rights

Human Rights Watch

Joe Stork Deputy Director, Middle East and North Africa Division (Human Rights Watch ) – Ahmed Mansoor, the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) best-known human rights defender, has been arbitrarily imprisoned, in isolation, since security forces raided his home just before midnight on March 20, 2017. Local media reported he was arrested and convicted for publishing […]

censorship

Iranian Journalists Who Broke Mahsa Amini Story Stand Trial Behind Closed Doors

Golnaz Esfandiari

I’m RFE/RL correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari. Here’s what I’ve been following during the past week and what I’m watching for in the days ahead. The Big Issue ( RFE/RL ) – A revolutionary court in Iran this week began the trials of two female journalists who helped break the story of Mahsa Amini’s death. Amini’s death […]

Anti-intellectualism

“A war on higher education in our state” NC faculty group pens open letter opposing slate of higher ed-related bills

NC Newsline

By: Joe Killian – ( NC Newsline ) – The North Carolina chapter of the American Association of University Professors released an open letter Wednesday opposing a slate of higher education-related bills the group says will threaten academic freedom, diversity efforts and non-partisan university governance. Taken together, the letter says, the proposed changes “effectively […]

censorship

20 Years After Deadly US Attack, Free Press Still Threatened in Iraq

Human Rights Watch

Sarah Sanbar Iraq Researcher, Middle East and North Africa Division @SarahSanbar ( Human Rights Watch ) – April 8 is a day that lives in infamy for media in Iraq. 20 years ago, two American missiles hit the Al Jazeera offices in Baghdad, killing a reporter and wounding a cameraman. Shortly afterwards, American forces […]

Authoritarianism

In Bad Sign for Climate Summit, Oil-Rich UAE warns Conference Attendees against Criticizing Government

Human Rights Watch

Katharina Rall Senior Researcher, Environment and Human Rights @katha_nina ( Human Rights Watch) – Speakers at a recent climate and health summit in Abu Dhabi were advised by the conference organizers not to “criticize Islam, the government, corporations or individuals” or protest while in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a recent investigation […]

censorship

Protesting the Imprisonment of Professor Awad al-Qarni, Popular Religious Reformer, by Saudi Arabia

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association | – March 09, 2023 His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud King of Saudi Arabia and Custodian of the two Holy Mosques Fax: (via Ministry of the Interior) +966 11 403 3125 His Royal Highness Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud Crown Prince, Kingdom […]

censorship

No, Discussing Israel’s ‘Right to Exist’ is not Antisemitic; States don’t have Rights, People Do

Middle East Monitor

By Nasim Ahmed | – ( Middle East Monitor ) – “Israel’s right to exist” has been challenged in expert testimonies by leading scholars Professor John Douglas and Professor Avi Shlaim. Dugard is an advocate of the High Court of South Africa. He has served intermittently as Judge of the International Court of Justice. His […]