Arezou Eghbali

Nov 1, 2024 | indexoncensorship.org | Sarah Dawood |Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe |Arezou Eghbali

Hello, readers. This week, the news in the UK has been dominated by the Budget, alongside anticipation of next week’s USA presidential election. Whilst a lot of media attention has been focused on the Chancellor’s number crunching, the Prime Minister also started the week with a proclamation of the importance of press freedom.

Oct 31, 2024 | indexoncensorship.org | Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe |Toomaj Salehi |Arezou Eghbali |Sarah Dawood

Protesters in the streets of Paris show solidarity with the Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi. Photo by MAXPPP / Alamy Stock Photo / Alamy Live News For many of us, specifically those who have experienced prison, Toomaj Salehi is the symbol of resistance against an autocratic regime’s oppression, and whose honest and unapologetic voice cuts through the sheer reality of a society suffering from repression and corruption.

Oct 30, 2024 | indexoncensorship.org | Sarah Dawood |Arezou Eghbali

Rap is not a crime. Calling for human rights and democracy is not a crime. Standing up in solidarity with the courageous women who took to the streets to protest their rights is not a crime. Yet, the fact that such basic truths need to be stated is a damning reflection of the current state of affairs in Iran. My family knows this harsh reality all too well. My cousin, the renowned rapper Toomaj Salehi, remains unjustly imprisoned. Two years ago today, Toomaj was arrested.

Jun 25, 2024 | indexoncensorship.org | Jo-Ann Mort |Sarah Dawood |Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe |Arezou Eghbali

Political parties in the UK are now in the final stages of campaigning as they approach the general election on 4 July 2024. During the circus of the campaigning season, important issues can and have slipped through the cracks. We, the undersigned, want to ensure that the next government, whoever it may be, will stand firmly on the side of free expression. Back in January, Rishi Sunak laid out key targets he wished to deliver before the end of his term, with varying degrees of success.