'Perversely, the same community that gives writers in repressive regimes the courage to say what the state doesn’t want to hear can, in a free society, become a tool of conformity and social coercion.'
A powerful study on the PEN America boycott
theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…

#Iran Second Largest Jailer of Writers Worldwide, According to 2023 Freedom to Write Index pen.org/press-release/…

The Head of Iran's Shahid Beheshti university is offering full scholarships, covering tuition, dormitories and living costs, to protesting college students kicked out of their degrees in America or Europe.
A natural fit for some of them, perhaps

Incredibly thoughtful and incisive commentary from someone with actual lived experience and skin in the game

Powerful Congressional testimony yesterday from Gazelle غزاله شارمهد

To any Uni students holding an Islamic Republic flag during these campus protests,

please understand that if you did what you’re doing right now in Iran, you’d be met with bullets, imprisonment, and death.

The Islamic Republic is not your ally, I promise you.

It was disturbing to read the newly uncovered documents proving that the IRGC molested and murdered 16 year old Nika Shakarami but none of us were surprised.

I’m proud of Nika for fighting back till the very end and embodying the relentless spirit of the Iranian nation.

#Iran regime has published some details about April 13 attacks on Israel.

For instance, Khamenei gave the operations order while reading one of his own poems about... Moses opening the Red Sea!

“Your body is just open for everyone”
“Please don’t, no, no, stop! It didn’t stop. The screaming ended when they got shot.”

For those who denied the sexual violence by Hamas, this newly released documentary by Sheryl Sandberg compiled all the evidence. youtu.be/zAr9oGSXgak?si…

Former foreign #Iran hostages unite in an urgent appeal to SwedishPM, Ulf Kristersson to redouble his efforts to free 🇸🇪 Ahmadreza Djalali from unlawful detention & impending execution in #Iran & to prioritize bringing Djalali home after 8 yrs of unparalleled anguish & torment.…

Says the mouthpiece for a regime that gasses students; persecutes dissenting faculty; is waging a war on women, artists, dissidents, religious and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+; and is a literal police state.

Freedom of expression is a foundation right because it is a challenge to absolute power. That is why artists are being sentenced to death. That is why the courage of people like Mahsa Amini matters to all of us.

Canada strongly condemns Toomaj Salehi’s death sentence. 

Like Toomaj, many other's have been victim to IRGC’s human rights abuses & blatant disregard for human life in pursuit of democratic change. 

Use of the death penalty to suppress human rights & freedoms is unjustifiable.

Scoop: Ali-Reza Asgari, the once distinguished Iranian Major General in the regime’s powerful paramilitary force, has been found living in the US under a new identity, according to exclusive findings by ايران اينترنشنال’s Shahed Alavi and Kambiz Ghafouri.
content.iranintl.com/missing-irgc-g…

I'm disappointed & frustrated with the statement by Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (who blocked me despite having never interacted with them). In it, they reaffirm the right of armed resistance, an explicit endorsement of Hamas and October 7 & the “all means…

Indeed! To those who suddenly became Iran experts overnight: say his name!!!
#ToomajSalehi
#FreeToomaj

The regime in Iran have just sentenced توماج صالحی🌋 to death. For this kind of message. Could be the tipping point. #IranRevoIution

To those who champion artistic freedom & freedom of expression.
To those who profess to stand against imperialist oppression.
To those who have suddenly become Middle East experts overnight.
Toomaj Salehi is your litmus test. Say his name!
توماج صالحی🌋
youtube.com/watch?v=TIXoc5…

To all my musician friends, both Iranian and non-Iranian: an Iranian rapper has been sentenced to death for standing by Iranian women in their struggle for equality, for being the voice of the oppressed in the recent uprising, or, as I see it, for being a true “artist” who speaks…

Today on Anzac Day, I would like to pay tribute to the Australians and New Zealanders who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of Ukraine. They are in our hearts and prayers. The efforts of these “Ukrainian Anzacs” will not be forgotten. At the going down of the sun, they…