On February 11th, journalists and human rights bloggers around the world are using their voices in the media to stand in solidarity with Iranian human rights activists. In Iran, February 11th is recognized as “Victory of the Revolution Day,” which is meant to celebrate human liberty and freedom. The Iranian government, however, has long violated these principles and is responsible for numerous human rights abuses including torture, arbitrary arrests, censorship and a recent execution of  two activists accused of inciting the post-election protests on June 12th, even though they had been held in detention prior to the demonstrations. For more information on the current state of human rights in Iran, Amnesty International’s country report is a great resource. Also, for details on how to use media and social networking to stand in solidarity with Iran, please visit the Iranian human rights information page at Bloggers Unite.

The rights of those serving within the ranks of the U.S. military (or employed by its contractors) made the news this week. On Monday, the 2011 Defense budget proposal was released and included prohibitions against defense contracts with companies that deny court hearings for sexual assault victims. The prohibitions mirror Sen. Al Franken’s Anti-Rape Amendment, which was adopted in December in spite of opposition from the Defense Department. On Tuesday, during a Senate hearing top U.S. military officers endorsed the gradual repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” the policy which “forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens.” Controversial statements by Sen. John McCain speak to some of the issues at hand: “Many gay and lesbian Americans are serving admirably in our Armed forces, even giving their Lives so that we and others can know the blessings of peace…{this is} military life which is characterized by its own laws, rules, customs and traditions.” How much longer will the U.S. military exempt itself from the very values that it purports to defend?

Photo Credit: Johnny Symons, Ask Not

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and women’s right advocate Shirin Ebadi released a statement on December 29th declaring: ”my sister Dr. Noushin Ebadi who is a Medical lecturer at Azad University of Tehran was detained by four officers from the counter-intelligence agency of Islamic Republic of Iran.” Dr. Noushin Ebadi is not politically active nor is she a member of any human rights organizations. Her only crime seems to be that she is Shirin Ebadi’s sister. This attempt to silence an internationally-known human rights activist by targeting an innocent family member comes amidst violent crackdowns on protesters and opposition figures in Iran. Several hundred people were arrested following protests during last Sunday’s holy day of Ashura, and at least eight killed. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran and Reporters Without Borders have up to date information about the systematic clampdown on human rights activists and journalists in Iran. The Feminist School highlights the targeted harassment and arrest of women’s rights activists.

Last night, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a speech at Georgetown University, outlining a renewed U.S. commitment to universal human rights standards. Statements by human rights organizations such as Amnesty International are supportive of the content and intent of the speech, but emphasize the need for the Obama administration to follow through with tangible policy commitments that will transform rhetoric into reality. You can read articles on the speech by Reuters and the New York Times.

While searching for updates on the Iraqi election law, I came across a tool that I think is worth sharing: Election Guide. Check this thing out. It’s a search tool for election information, covers 1998 to 2014, has descriptions of electoral systems, results breakdowns, a news search feature, and will even let you sign up for automatic updates.

I happened upon this through a simple google search, so I haven’t gotten to kick its tires very hard. I/we would love to know of any other tools like this. Do you use anything similar to this election tool?

The Iraqi parliament did indeed pass a new election law.

Here’s an Al-Jazeera panel interview addressing issues for the upcoming elections: “Inside Story, with presenter Imran Garda, discusses with guests Saad al-Mutalibi, a political adviser at the ministry of dialogue and the head of the government’s reconciliation team, Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish member of the Iraqi parliament, and Kenneth Katzman, a specialist in Gulf affairs for the Congressional Research Service.”

It’s fascinating in its breadth.

I nearly missed something very interesting while scanning a New York Times editorial by Thomas Friedman: he quotes Iraqi prime minister Nuri Maliki on human rights…

Friedman argues that an open election in Iraq has a greater chance of producing regional change than the Afghan elections, and his perspective encompasses the recent Iranian elections, too.

It is because you have access to the internet that you are able to read this post. Having access to the internet allows you to learn about important issues and world events as they unfold, participate in public debates, and find opportunities for employment and collaboration in your community. However, access to the internet is also largely restricted to those who have the financial resources to pay for the necessary technology and service. This has led to significant divides in communication equality for historically-marginalized communities, such as low-income, indigenous, Latino, and African-American communities. The Media and Democracy Coalition has written a very powerful letter on this subject to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in regards to the necessary policies that would prevent non-discriminatory practices by internet service and wireless providers. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that all people have the right to share in scientific advancement and its benefits (Article 27). What is the role of the U.S. government in ensuring that all people have access to advancements in communication, regardless of where they live or how much money they have? How does access to the internet influence the the realization of other human rights? More generally, how are communication and human rights interconnected?

Here’s an interview by PBS Newshour’s Margaret Warner in which she explores multiple allegations concerning election fraud in the recent Afghan elections. It’s an excellent interview, and I think it illustrates what makes me crazy about this issue. Her subjects are Peter Galbraith–former US Ambassador to Croatia and recently-fired head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)– and Assistant Secretary General Edmond Mulet. Galbraith has very publicly accused U.N. Special Representative Kai Eide of mishandling efforts to prevent election fraud and helping cover it up after the fact. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon fired Galbraith, claiming this was due to a personality clash between Galbraith and Eide.

The New York Times reports on the issue here.The Newshour’s interview transcript is here.

I am stupefied when I try to follow the politics surrounding election fraud. Shouldn’t an election boil down to some simple logic and counting? I know this is a drastic and naive over-simplification, but how can free elections happen when an assistant secretary general of the UN is hiding behind political sophistry?

In Dharamshala and around the world, Tibetans and their supporters take to the streets to protest China’s 60th anniversary. Meanwhile, in Tibet, travel restrictions are in place that ban foreigners and journalists from entry between September 22 and October 8th. What human rights issues are at stake for the Tibetan exiles? Should the Chinese government violate the right to free movement to foreign travelers, even for the purpose of maintaining ’social order?’