ISSUE #31 - Autocrats punish Artists and Writers CONTENTS:
- Final Act?: Iranian Actress Detained for Appearing with DiCaprio
- Solitary: Blogger Kareem Amer's Prison Treatment Worsens
- Outsourcing Censorship: Doing Dubai's Dirty Work
- QUIZ: Which Arab democracy just got sabotaged?
- Become a Partner in CRIME
SPOTLIGHT CASES:
Final Act?: Iranian Actress Detained for Appearing with DiCaprio
Golshifteh Farahani was stopped by security agents as she was boarding her flight in Tehran. Her crime? Landing a Hollywood role in Ridley Scott's new film, Body of Lies, where she stars alongside Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio. She is the first Iranian actress to be offered a Hollywood role since the 1979 revolution. But after her detention, Farahani was mysteriously "banned from traveling" and cannot leave Iran.
This wouldn't be Farahani's first brush with authorities, as in 2007 she played the wife of a drug addict in Santouri, a movie that was banned in Iran. To work with foreign agencies, Iranian artists need permission from the government's Culture Ministry - and Farahani’s contact for the Ridley Scott movie required that she only be filmed wearing hijab.
Another actress facing legal troubles is Leila Hatami, who was photographed at an international film festival unveiled and holding a glass of what appeared to be champagne. She has been summoned to court and punishments could range from a warning to ban on acting. According to Iranian law, all post-pubescent women must cover their hair and body in public and if Hatemi's case is an indicator, the Islamic Republic intends to enforce this law at home and abroad.
Iran's culture hawks aren't only vetting homegrown talent, but those from abroad too. Irish singer Chris De Burgh was scheduled to perform in Tehran over the summer, but permission, which is required to perform in Iran, was mysteriously denied.
Solitary: Blogger Kareem Amer's Prison Treatment Worsens
Almost two years ago, Egyptian law student and blogger Kareem Amer was detained by police for writing on her personal weblog. He is currently serving a four-year sentence for his writings, and new reports from his lawyer indicate that his prison conditions have taken a turn for the worse.
On August 15, a group of Kareem’s friends tried to visit him at Borg Al Arab prison outside Alexandra, but the guards denied them access. Two weeks later, Kareem’s lawyer Rawda Ahmed was able to meet with him. She found him in very poor physical condition, and he reported to her a series of new restrictions: he is forbidden from going outside and getting sunlight; his books have been taken away; and he is regularly harassed by inmates and prison guards on the orders of the authorities.
Kareem is not only being physically mistreated, but according to his lawyer, he faces extra restrictions that apply to political prisoners, even though he is held in the criminal prisoners division. Reporters Without Borders has put out an action alert on Kareem’s condition, and you can help too. Take a minute to send Kareem a letter of solidarity.
Outsourcing Censorship: Doing Dubai's Dirty Work
For the past 16 years, Prem Singh has been employed by the UAE government without being granted citizenship. An Indian-native who lives and works in Dubai, Singh wakes up before dawn every day to pore over international newspapers and magazines. He's not a news junky; he's Dubai's censor.
Singh spends the day wielding a magic marker. His job: black out criticism of the country's rulers, risqué photos of women, and supposed insults to religion. The publications he reviews include The Economist, Daily Mirror, and Sun, which are only released for public sale until after he has marked them up.
Less than a quarter of the UAE's population are citizens. Becoming an Emirati citizen is nearly impossible process for the average foreign worker, all the more so for those who, like Singh, are non-Muslim. The only way foreigners can stay in the UAE for an extended period is with an employer-granted visa that can be revoked at a moment's notice. So when it comes to censoring the news, Dubai's dirty work is outsourced to disenfranchised foreigners like Prem Singh.
QUIZ: Which Arab democracy just got sabotaged?
ANSWER: Mauritania. In the spring of 2007, this North African state
held open and transparent elections for president, with the winning
candidate garnering just over 50% of the vote. But last month, a
military junta removed President Sidi Ould Sheikh Abdallahi in a coup.
Abdallahi had grown quite unpopular, with parliamentary commissions
investigating the president and First Lady for corruption (imagine
that happening in Tunisia or Syria!). But the
interim ruler, General Aziz, has yet to call for new elections or an
end to military intervention in politics. For now, freedom of speech
and association are being respected, with a vocal and organized
opposition denouncing the coup. The real question lingering over
Mauritania: Is the era of coups over?
BECOME A PARTNER IN CRIME:
Here is a list of four quick ways you contribute to the Middle East civil rights movement:
- Forward this update to friends & encourage them to subscribe
- Send a letter demanding freedom for Yemeni editor Al-Khaiwani
- Write a letter to imprisoned Egyptian blogger Kareem Amer
- Apply to participate in HAMSA’s civil rights fellowship program.