Middle East

Iranian Teachers’ Union charges Gov’t with Dishonoring Nation’s Girls, Recalling Theme of Constitutional Revolution of 1905-1911

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – So far, the wave of street protests staged in dozens of Iran’s towns and cities appear to have been spontaneous and to lack organization or clear leadership. These demonstrations continued on Monday night in Sanandaj, Tehran, and some other cities, according to the Twitter feed of Iran Protests Watch. Although […]

Dissent

Iran on fire: Once again, women are on the vanguard of transformative change

The Conversation

By Vrinda Narain, McGill University and Fatemeh Sadeghi, UCL | – On Sept. 16, 2022, Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman, died in Tehran, Iran, while in police custody. Amini was arrested by the Guidance Patrol, the morality squad of the Law Enforcement Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran that oversees public implementation of […]

Israel/ Palestine

I saw what turning the Palestinian Village of Masafer Yatta into an Israeli Military ‘Firing Zone’ Means

Waging Nonviolence

By Mahmoud Soliman | – ( Waging Nonviolence) – Since a ruling of the Israeli Supreme Court on May 4, the Israeli military has been actively training in Masafer Yatta, in the middle of eight villages and hamlets where more than 1,100 Palestinians are living. More than half of the residents are children. Masafer Yatta […]

Bill of Rights

From Veiling to Abortion, Iran’s Theocrats seek to Control Women’s Bodies, just as do U.S. Republican Theocrats

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – On Saturday, hard line Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi announced that his government would pull out the stops to crush the popular unrest sweeping the country that was sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa “Zhina” Amini, 22, a Kurdish young woman who was arrested by the morals police for […]

censorship

Saudi Arabia: Drop Baseless Investigation of US Citizen: US Embassy Should Fully Assist Woman Facing Free Speech Charges

Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch – (Washington, DC) – Saudi prosecutors should drop an investigation possibly leading to formal criminal charges against a US citizen living in Saudi Arabia for “disrupting the public order,” Human Rights Watch said today. Carly Morris, 34, believes the allegation relates to her statements on social media voicing concerns about how Saudi […]

Israel/ Palestine

Did Israeli Prime Minister Mislead the UN when he said he Wants a 2-State Solution?

Middle East Monitor

By Motasem A Dalloul | – ( Middle East Monitor ) – Addressing the world leaders on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister, Yair Lapid, clearly declared his support for the two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, stressing this is even the best solution for all current problems for the State of Israel and for the future […]

censorship

Iran Protests for “Woman, Life, Freedom” and against “Tyranny” spread to 31 Cities, with 35 Dead

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Iran is witnessing the worst mass unrest since the failed Green Revolution of 2009, which saw its biggest crowds come out in major cities such as Tehran, Tabriz and Shiraz, and which was spear-headed by college students and youth more generally. The 2009 movement was not joined by the bazaar, […]

Arab World

The Mahsa Effect: Iran protest at enforced Veiling sparks online Debate and feminist Calls for Action across Arab World

The Conversation

By Balsam Mustafa, University of Warwick | – (The Conversation) – Iranian authorities have cracked down on protests which erupted after the death in custody of a 22-year-old woman who was arrested by the morality police for not wearing the hijab appropriately. The death of Mahsa Amini who was reportedly beaten after being arrested for […]

Feminism

Mahsa, a National Iranian Symbol of Resistance

Fariba Amini

Newark, Del. (Special to Informed Comment) – In the summer of 1993, I went to Iran to visit my parents who at the time were living in Tehran on and off. We had left Iran six months after the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and I had not returned until 1993. I remember the atmosphere at […]