As we went to press, we received reports earlier that President Rouhani of Iran will be going to the Vatican to meet with Pope Francis. It signifies the continued emergence of Iran from the years of isolation despite the continued pressures that the conservatives continue to exert as signified by Ayatollah Khameini's letter ascending to the nuclear agreement earlier this week.
Despite the incremental openings, Human Rights continue to be a profound challenge in Iran. We have been continuing to follow the case of the Washington Post' Jason Rezayian as he continues to languish in an Iranian Prison on charges of espionage and sedition. As we went to press here, we are yet to get any indication of his situation and if there is a prospect of him being released. We have seen no reports on progress on the other three Americans currently missing in Iran.
One further indication of the profound challenges to Freedom of Expression is the case of the 30-Year Iranian Filmaker Keyvan Karimi. He has been accused of insulting the cultural norms because he depicted a kissing scene in one of his films. Recent reports we received indicates that although he's currently free, he will be subject to arrest at any time after his conviction. He has been sentenced to 6 years prison and 323 lashes. It was a welcome development as we saw French Filmakers issue a statement of support for him.
We will continue to monitor his case.
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| Keyvan Karimi @ Work |
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