Iran’s Chief Justice Mohseni-Eje'i announces pardon just before the start of Ramadan (sacred month of fasting and prayer). A monitoring NGO reports almost 20,000 arrests and more than 500 deaths. Different figures raise questions about the extent of the crackdown on dissent in the Islamic Republic.
Ayatollah Alavi Borujerdi, grandson of one of the teachers of the founder of the Islamic Republic, warns against the “strange desire” for Zoroastrianism or belonging to house churches. Traditional Shia clerics have lost credibility. Meanwhile, the authorities are looking for young women who danced on International Women's Day.
Today's news: Hong Kong jails three activists who organised Tiananmen vigils while releasing Elizabeth Tang on bail; Thai authorities issue a pollution alert; Japan remembers the victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster on the 12th anniversary of the accident; Indian police arrest three people in connection with the death of a Muslim man, lynched for allegedly transporting beef.
Thousands of cases have been reported across the country, up to 1,200 according to the authorities, 7,000 according to activist groups. Protests broke out yesterday in at least 20 cities. The authorities pledge action to ensure justice, but only protesters have been arrested so far. Some compare Iran’s leaders to Nigeria’s Boko Haram known for suppressing women's rights.
Today's headlines: for the UN, the Taliban's treatment of Afghan women is tantamount to 'crimes against humanity'; the Philippine Catholic Educators Association condemns the practice of 'hazing' after a suspicious death at a university. Tehran confirms its hard line on transgressions of the Islamic 'dress code'; in 2022, new births in Japan fell below 800,000 for the first time.
After fewer shutdowns during the pandemic, Internet censorship worsened substantially last year in terms of number, duration, and target groups, this according to a report by Access Now. Iran, Myanmar, and Bangladesh are among the top offenders. In India, “security” is given as the main reason with the power to shut down vested in central and state Home Affairs ministries.
