Civil Society Watch

January 14, 2014
January 14, 2014
Categories

#Iran — Where’s My Gold?

Arseh Sevom – Anyone who has every read Joseph Heller’s classic novel depicting the insanity of war and military life, Catch 22, won’t be surprised by speculations of unscrupulous profiteering in the name of country and honor. Iran’s Babak Zanjani -- deal-maker extraordinaire – seems to have walked right off the pages of Heller’s book. He’s a billionaire many times over thanks to international sanctions against Iran and his clever manipulation of his position as the Islamic Republic’s bagman. Recently he began a new stint as a prisoner in Iran’s Evin Prison.
Do you like it?
Read more
January 2, 2014
January 2, 2014
Categories

2013 Year in Review — #Iran and Its Civil Society

They say that an optimist is someone who knows that one step forward and two steps back is a dance, not a defeat. In 2013, those acting for a vibrant civil society in Iran wore out their dancing shoes. This post presents a brief and incomplete overview of the last year of posts from Arseh Sevom.
Do you like it?
Read more
December 26, 2013
December 26, 2013
Categories

#Iran: I’m Dreaming of Citizens’ Rights

Arseh Sevom—In this season of celebrations, we begin by wishing all our readers happy holidays. A Citizenship Rights Charter has been presented to the people of Iran. The charter, like the constitution of Iran, guarantees nothing in the end. It’s as substantial as a dream. Meanwhile, the interim nuclear deal seems to be doing little to change the economic reality for Iran’s population. An EU Delegation visited Iran for the first time in six years. Their meetings with Sakharov Prize Honorees Nasrin Sotouden and Jafar Panahi has led to protests from hardline factions.
Do you like it?
Read more
November 29, 2013
November 29, 2013
Categories

#Iran — Time for Attention to Human Rights

Arseh Sevom--Trust, but verify: that is the message of the recent nuclear agreement with Iran. The completed agreement sent hopes of better times soaring in Iran where a whole generation has felt itself sacrificed to hardline policies and the results of sanctions. If trust can be built in the wake of these negotiations, there is an opportunity for the international community to engage Iran on its human rights record. That is the next step.
Do you like it?
Read more
November 19, 2013
November 19, 2013
Categories

#Iran — Can Activists Return Safely?

Arseh Sevom – It’s been more than 100 days since Hassan Rouhani took office. Despite slow progress on human rights, many exiled activists are planning to return. Negotiations over Iran’s nuclear negotiations are about to restart, and Iran’s top negotiator is working to get his country’s message out via social media. Over 25 NGOs and civil rights organizations wrote a letter asking UN representatives to vote to hold Iran accountable for continuing human rights violations. The message: human rights are not negotiable.
Do you like it?
Read more
November 11, 2013
November 11, 2013
Categories

#Iran — Are We Wrong to Hope?

Arseh Sevom -- Can you excuse us for hoping for change even though we know that political prisoners and prisoners of conscience face malicious neglect and execution to this day? Like many in Iran, we were hoping for a quick positive outcome to the nuclear negotiations. Like others, we are enjoying the fashion spread in Fashionable, Sexy, Haute and Naughty Magazine. We enjoy hearing more of Iran's political figures call for the filtering of social networking to end and look forward to the day that the most interesting news out of Iran is what a friend ate for lunch.
Do you like it?
Read more
November 6, 2013
November 6, 2013
Categories

#Iran — Ssshh…People are Dying Here

Arseh Sevom- This week’s review is unfortunately focused on the treatment of political prisoners in Iran. Events of the past months demand this. The season marking the anniversary of the taking of the American Embassy seems to endanger Iran’s homegrown activists more than it hurts the US with the chanting of “Death to America.” At a time when Iranians are hoping for change, and especially at this time, it’s necessary to put pressure on Iran’s government to improve the conditions for all of its prisoners and urgently for its political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.
Do you like it?
Read more
October 28, 2013
October 28, 2013
Categories

#Iran — Executions and Ideological Struggles

Arseh Sevom -- The ideological struggle between reform and restriction is being played out in many arenas in Iran. Last week, hardliners hung billboards opposing negotiation with the West, this week they were taken down and replaced with less combative messages. The ministry of culture promised to liberalize the publication process, while a reformist newspaper was ordered shut down. For those condemned to execution in Iran, there has been no change for the better, with increases in the number of executions. This was dramatically played out over the weekend when 16 prisoners were executed in response to a deadly attack on Iran's border guards.
Do you like it?
Read more
October 21, 2013
October 21, 2013
Categories

#Iran: Let’s Make a (Nuclear) Deal

Arseh Sevom -- Nuclear negotiations are eclipsing other news in Iran. There are hopes that an agreement can be reached and that at least some of the sanctions will be relaxed. Attention to foreign relations seems to have left the Rouhani administration with little time to address domestic issues. This has led to a number of unfulfilled promises and a slow pace of change domestically. The application of economic sanctions continues to overreach their mandate, with internet freedom suffering. Wishes did not come true when it comes to the release from house arrest of Green Movement leaders. And theater goers in Tehran eagerly anticipate the opening of The Hills Are Alive, based on The Sound of Music.
Do you like it?
Read more
123456789101112131415161718