Author: Siyavash Shahabi
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The Slave Trade by Fuel of EU Policy
Refugees, particularly Eritreans, landing in Libya face a grim reality of trafficking, enslavement, and widespread abuse, including sexual violence, often to extort ransom payments from their families. Those who manage to escape from detention centers and reach the Mediterranean face the risk of interception and forced return to Libya or death at sea. These conclusions…
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Migration, Capitalism, and Imperialism:
The Transnational Vision of C. L. R. JamesC. L. R. James, also known as Cyril Lionel Robert James, was a Trinidadian-British Marxist theorist, historian, and cultural critic who made significant contributions to the study of colonialism, slavery, and the African diaspora. Born in 1901, James spent much of his life traveling and writing, and his ideas have had a lasting impact on…
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Uncovering the Truth;
The 1980s Purge of Iran’s LeftistsIn the 1980s, following the Iranian Revolution, a wave of repression and violence was directed against leftist political opponents by the newly established Islamic Republic. This included the execution of many left-wing political prisoners, who were seen as threats to the new regime. The exact number of political prisoners executed during this time is unknown,…
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Balochistan’s Struggle Against Religious Intolerance
In the early days of the Zhina uprising and the Zhin, Zhian, Azadi movement, Baloch women joined forces with their sisters to fight against religious fundamentalism and misogynistic society in Baluchistan/Iran. They demanded gender equality, recognition of female identity, and participation in Baloch nationalism and public life. This movement evolved over time, influenced by the…
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Renewal of Residence Permits in Greece: Caught in Legal Limbo
A large crowd of beneficiaries of international or subsidiary protection have not been able to renew their residence permits, and are only receiving a 6-month certificate confirming that their renewal is pending. This can cause serious problems in many areas, including employment and insurance. Although they have these certificates, many refugees have complained that they…
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Power and the Production of History
Trouillot argues that history is not simply a neutral record of past events, but a product of the social, political, and economic structures of the present. He contends that the way in which history is written and the stories that are told reflect the interests and perspectives of those in power. In other words, history…
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Bypassing Religion in Iran? A Rare TV Debate
Recently, a TV debate on women’s rights in Iran has caused controversy. Dr. Maryam Nasr, a member of the Women’s Studies Department at the Research Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies, and a clergyman named Majid Dehghan, a faculty member at the Women and Family Research Institute, discussed the topic of “Sovereignty and Gender Issues”…
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United Against Brutality: A Call for Solidarity with Iranians
To date, they have received 200 signatures from over 20 countries. Signatories include individuals from various professions such as academics, doctors, lawyers, journalists, and artists, as well as representatives from trade unions, political and associative organizations.
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Evin’s Dark Night:
A Report on the Killing, Torture, and Transfer of Political Prisoners during the October 15th FireOn October 15th, a tragic event occurred at Evin prison in Iran, one of the country’s most feared facilities. Despite the passage of three months, the exact details of what happened remain a mystery, as independent investigations are not permitted in the Islamic Republic. Among the prisoners held at Evin are political dissidents, ordinary citizens,…
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Greece’s Pushback Problem:
Evidence Mounts as Denials PersistGreece has been facing accusations of illegal pushbacks of migrants and asylum seekers for several years. However, the country’s Minister of Migration and Asylum, Notis Mitarachi, recently denied that there is any truth to these claims. Despite this denial, evidence of illegal pushbacks has continued to surface in increasing numbers in 2022.
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Iranian Feminist May Face Death Penalty for Protesting Compulsory Hijab
Mozhgan Keshavarz, an Iranian feminist, was arrested in early 2019 along with two other women’s rights activists, Munirah Arabshahi and Yasman Ariani (mother and daughter), for protesting against the compulsory hijab. Before their arrest, these three had published a video on social media giving flowers to women in the metro without hijab on 8 March.…
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Inadequate Care: The Plight of Medical Aid for Refugees in Greece’s Camps
Waris Ali and Tsiona Nzita are two resent examples of individuals who have died in the refugee camps due to lack of access to medical care. The reason for the death of both of them was the long delay in the arrival of the ambulance.
