Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Iran

HRW Urges Iran To End Political University Ban

Is the government cracking down on Iranian student activism? (AFP)

PRAGUE, October 19, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- The New York-based nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) today called upon Iranian authorities to immediately revoke bans on students whose political beliefs they dislike from attending university.

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October 19, 2006

HRW says in a briefing paper that the government barred 12 students from university registration this year despite the fact they had successfully passed entrance examinations.

It also says it has documented the case of another 54 students who were allowed to register only after agreeing in writing to refrain from peaceful political activities.

HRW describes this policy as "a blatant attack on freedom of expression and the rights to education."

Noting that the Iranian judiciary has sentenced 24 politically active students to prison terms since July 2005, HRW says the decision to deny applicants university registration is "solely based on [their] political background, not on any educational standards."

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Iran has stepped up its pressure on activists using the Internet

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Love It (Or Hate It), It's Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, the Western holiday celebrating love, has become a global phenomenon over the past two decades. The fall of communism and the emergence of the Internet have helped February 14 become something of an unofficial international day of romance. However, not all the passions the holiday stirs are related to love. While some countries have openly embraced the holiday, others are attempting to ban it or replace it with local customs. More