Podcasts

Podcast 46: Iran’s Assault on Free Speech in an Interview with Mehrad Vaezinejad and Niousha Masoumi

What does the recent increase in the arrests of journalists in Iran have to do with the upcoming parliamentary elections in Iran? Mehrad Vaezinejad, a Middle East analyst based in London, explains that the two are actually related. In this Weekly Rights Podcast, he talks about the Iranian authorities’ “campaign of fear,” the latest victims of which are the recent arrests of journalists Parastoo Dokouhaki and Marzieh Rassouli. A friend of Rassouli, he talks about these arrests mean for the situation of human rights in Iran.
We also speak with Niousha Masoumi, a friend of Dokouhaki. She explains further what Parastoo’s and Marzieh’s arrests mean for Iranian society in the upcoming election. We learn more about the backgrounds of these two journalists. Check out this podcast!

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Podcast 45: “Campaign 99″ in an interview with Ali Abdi

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve no doubt heard of the Occupy Wall Street movement, brought together under the banner of ‘the 99%’. Today, we talk to Ali Abdi, Iranian student rights and LGBT activist, about “Campaign 99.” Campaign 99 is a global solidarity movement that listens to the stories of Occupy Wall Street supporters, and in exchange, shares the stories of Iranian prisoners. Ali talks to us about the Campaign started, and how it’s grown since then. Don’t miss this unique and informative podcast!

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Podcast 44: Iranian Refugees in an interview with Faraz Sanei

The idea of ‘being a refugee’ can evoke many different images in people’s minds. Refugees from Iran are perhaps not what one may immediately think of as ‘typical’. To start with, there’s a relatively wide range of reasons behind people’s decision to flee – from religious persecution to the ongoing witch-hunt for dissidents and political activists. What happens once they cross the border also varies quite a bit. While the luckier ones eventually get resettled and can start to rebuild their lives in another country, many end up in permanent limbo – or even back where they started.

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Podcast 43: Internet Censorship in Iran- Interview with Mehdi Yahyanejad

We all use the internet. But what does it mean to use the internet in a country where freedom of speech is under assault? This week, we talk to Mehdi Yahyanejad, the founder of the Balatarin, the Persian language version of Reddit or Digg. Mr. Yahyanejad talks about the importance of Balatarin for human rights activism and social mobilizing. He also tells us the many different ways the Iranian government blocks and censors what people post on the internet. Don’t miss out on this enlightening podcast!

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Podcast 42: An Inteview with Dokhi Fassihian on the Recent UN Human Rights Resolution on Iran

Ever wonder why UN human rights resolutions on Iran are important? In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast, we talk to Dokhi Fassihian of United 4 Iran, a global network of human rights activists. Ms. Fassihian talks about the recent resolution passed by the UN on the situation of human rights in Iran. She tells us that this year’s resolution is significant because of the increasing international support and the newly-appointed Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, and she discusses the Iranian government’s lack of cooperation with UN human rights mandates. Enjoy this stimulating discussion on the relationship between Iran and the UN!

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Podcast 40: Maziar Bahari on the Crackdown on Filmmakers

In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast, we examine the Iranian government’s crackdown on independent and documentary filmmakers and actors. We talk to Maziar Bahari, an Iranian-Canadian filmmaker and journalist, about the arrests of six independent documentary filmmakers who were charged with collaborating with BBC Persian. Bahari also describes his arrest in after the June 2009 presidential election, when he spent three months in prison in largely incommunicado detention.

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Podcast 39: “Education Under Fire”

In this podcast we examine the persecution of the Baha’i community and talk to David and Jeff Hoffman, the director and executive producer of the film “Education Under Fire,” a new documentary that profiles an unofficial school that called the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE). BIHE is a type of underground university. In Iran, members of the Baha’i faith are not allowed allowed to attend official universities. Hadi Ghaemi, Executive Director of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, also provides some background on the situation.

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Podcast 41: An Interview with Hamid Dabashi

In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast, we explore the topic of U.S. military intervention in Iran. We discuss the recent IAEA report and the increased talk amongst senior U.S. officials about bombing Iran. We talk to Columbia University Professor Hamid Dabashi about the effect of military action on the situation of human rights in Iran. Dabashi explains why the threat of a military intervention is dangerous for Iran and harmful for human rights defenders.

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Weekly Rights Podcast 38

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Weekly Rights Podcast 37

In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast: The Campaign speaks out about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to the UN General Assembly in New York; American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal are released from prison; seven documentary filmmakers are arrested and charged with espionage on behalf of BBC Persian; 17-year-old Alireza Molla-Soltani is executed; and Nasrin Sotoudeh’s most recent court session is cancelled.

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