Constitutional Obstacles to the Realization of Human Rights and Democracy in Iran - Part 2
Tuesday 10 Aug 10

Much of the contemporary history of Iran is a narrative of clashes between aspirations for and obstacles of political participation. Herein is also a tale of conflict between modernity and tradition, at times leading to dramatic consequences including two revolutions. One starting point for this tale is the call for a constitutional monarchy in 1906; a change from an autocratic system to a constitutional monarchy was the galvanizing motivation and aspiration of Iran’s Constitutional Revolution of 1906 to1911.

Iran Stonings Are a Legal Nightmare
Friday 16 Jul 10

Imagine a woman dying under a rain of stones while buried in the ground to the top of her breasts. Imagine faceless figures throwing stones at her. Imagine her last thoughts, wishes and dreams. Imagine her hoping to magically survive this brutal punishment.

Iran’s Apartheid – Keep Iran off the Human Rights Council


My generation grew up in Iran with the daily news of your struggles against Apartheid. From far away, we followed how Nelson Mandela urged and led the nation towards reconciliation non-violently. We have loved him for his vision and gained much inspiration.

Women's Ward in Evin Prison
Friday 02 Jul 10

Evin Prison, Iran’s most notorious prison, is the locus and center of the exercise of discrimination against women prisoners. Interrogators and judges are aware of these circumstances to the point where they use it as a threat: constantly reminding women prisoners who are charged with political crimes that, if they do not cooperate with the authorities, they will be sent to the General Women’s Ward, where certain women there will “take care of them” (i.e., abuse and perpetrate violence against them).

Constitutional Obstacles to the Realization of Human Rights and Democracy in Iran - Part 1


Meaningful political participation in any country is realized when certain conditions are met, making the free expression of a plurality of political views and activities possible. These conditions allow for the toleration of a diverse range of ideas, forcing no political players into silence and allowing for a defined degree of freedom of expression in public life. Such conditions for political participation and debate are met when laws in support of the ideals of political participation are made in unequivocal terms, making it impossible for state functionaries and institutions to offer their own individual interpretations of the laws for driving their opponents out of the public sphere or preventing them from running for public office, or even physically removing them from public domain by imprisoning them.

“The 21st century will witness women…


… in Iran overcome many of the impediments standing in the way of realizing gender equality. Iran is a diverse society, where women from both religious and secular backgrounds recognize the need for legal reform to promote Iranian women’s rights. Yet, alas, the hurdles are many. To begin with, the Iranian legal system not only fails to protect women’s rights in conformity with international human rights standards, but worse, does not treat women as equals under national law.

The wall that crumbled
Sunday 06 Jun 10

The anniversary of the tenth presidential election in Iran is approaching. A short while before the election and for the first time, Iranian women were able to appear in the street with a light Hijab and without the bothers of the security forces. They could sing and chant and speak up about their hopes to have a decent life of respects and privileges. After the election results were announced, the world stood watching as they appeared silently, valiantly and in protest alongside the men. In their silent and magnificent presence, the women disrupted the official policy of the regime based on separating the two sexes in the public domain and with their iron will, broke down the facade of deceit and pretence. That wall is forever shaken from the core and in spite of their efforts the regime is not able to rebuild it.

Supreme Cultural Revolution Council
Friday 04 Jun 10

The Supreme Cultural Revolution Council has ruled without legal authorization for a long time—this is not new. What is new is the infighting among the elite as they attack one another. The grievances are old and worn and if we choose the revolution as a marker of time, then the troubles with censorship, in their post-revolutionary format, date back to the revolution.