United States Institute of Peace

The Iran Primer

U.S. Warns Iran about Prisoners

On July 18, the State Department expressed concern about the deteriorating condition of political prisoners in Iran. Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland issued the following statement.

We are concerned by recent reports that Kurdish activist Mohammed Seddigh Kaboudvand and human rights defender Nargess Mohammadi are suffering from rapidly deteriorating health while in prison.  Kaboudvand has been on hunger strike since May 26 to protest the Iranian authorities’ refusal to allow him to visit his ill son, and Mohammadi has been denied proper medical care for previous health problems.  Both are reportedly in critical condition.

We call upon Iranian authorities to immediately release all political prisoners and to uphold its own laws and international obligations that guarantee freedom of expression, religion, opinion, and assembly for all citizens.
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The Islamists Are Coming

The Islamists Are Coming, edited by Robin Wright, surveys the rise of Islamist groups in the wake of the Arab Spring. Often lumped together, the more than 50 Islamist parties with millions of followers now constitute a whole new spectrum—separate from either militants or secular parties. They will shape the new order in the world’s most volatile region more than any other political bloc. Yet they have diverse goals and different constituencies. Sometimes they are even rivals.

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