• Contact
  • About
  • Authors
DONATE
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP
  • Login
Bylines Scotland
  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Bylines Scotland Breaking News
    • Europe
    • King Charles III
    • Queen Elizabeth II
    • Scotland
    • War in Ukraine
    • World
    blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

    Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

    Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

    “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

    Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

    Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

    A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

    Saving Scotland’s tenements

    Ben Nevis. Forground has green shrubbery, then background a mountain with two tops. Blue sky with a few streaky clouds

    Exploring the Highest Mountain in the British Isles: A Guide to Ben Nevis

    Image via Steller Systems, a potential candidate.

    Cancelling future frigates could be final nail in the coffin for the UK

    A hospital corridor with trolleys on the sides.

    Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

    A scene of people demonstrating, holding Scotland flags. One man wears a tartan cap and holds a blue flag with both the Scottish cross and the EU stars on it.

    Is Alister Jack sane?

    Cartoon by Stan

    Film reviews award season

    Trending Tags

    • Democracy
    • Devolution
    • Brexit
    • Ukraine
  • Politics
    • All
    • Council Areas
    • Europe
    • Holyrood
    • Liz Truss
    • Rest of UK
    • Tories
    • United Kingdom
    • Westminster
    • World
    blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

    Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

    A scene of people demonstrating, holding Scotland flags. One man wears a tartan cap and holds a blue flag with both the Scottish cross and the EU stars on it.

    Is Alister Jack sane?

    Image Malcom Laverty

    The Brown plan

    The climate change impacts of Russia’s war with Ukraine

    Britain wastes £1bn on drones to monitor English Channel

    The Autumn Statement – time to take a closer look

    Photo Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    Christmas cheer for Tesco if grim reading for the political classes

    Scottish independence isn’t going away

    Russia as a low-tech nation

    Trending Tags

    • Crime
    • Equality
    • Johnson
    • Scottish National Party
  • Business
    • All
    • Agriculture
    • Aviation
    • Corporations
    • Energy
    • Fishing
    • Natural Resources
    • Shipbuilding
    • Trade
    • Transport
    • Workers
    A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

    Saving Scotland’s tenements

    A large red researcgh vessel in the sea with ice sheets all around it on the water.

    Rosyth shipyard attracts UK Government contract to maintain fleet of scientific research vessels

    large posts saying 'Glasgow Airport Business Park' on the left and right of a road leading away from the main road in the front. . On that road leading away building with walls almost entirely existing of windows.

    Why doing business in Scotland may be better for your corporate wellbeing

    A mountain of spools forming a tree on the left, a sandy area to the right and a row of houses at the back. mountains in the distance on the right

    The Ullapool Giving Tree

    Electric off-roader heralds return of vehicle mass-production in Scotland after 40 years

    Photo Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    Christmas cheer for Tesco if grim reading for the political classes

    Ferguson Marine will weather the storm

    Order placed for remaining five Type 26 Frigates on the Clyde

    Police Scotland not investigating Scottish government over ferry contract criminality

    Trending Tags

    • Health
      • All
      • Assisted dying
      • Covid
      • Influenza
      • Polio virus
      • Respiratory
      • Scientific Research
      Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

      “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

      Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

      Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

      A hospital corridor with trolleys on the sides.

      Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

      Two more unions reject Scottish Government NHS pay offer

      GMB union reject Scottish Government pay offer to NHS staff

      Lymphocites gathering

      How careful should we be when choosing a scientific term?

      Code Black – A mayday from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

      The challenges facing mental health care in Scotland

      Illustration by author

      What are the boundaries to push science to its safety limits for the benefit of discoveries?

      Trending Tags

      • Environment
        • All
        • Air Pollution
        • Biology
        • Climate Change
        • Wildfires
        Ardnish wildfire by Leslie Barrie, CC BY-SA 2.0 Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons'

        Fire threats in the Scottish countryside

        Wood stove at the foot of the bed in the Danish Blue room at Pig Hill Inn, Cold Spring, New York. Printed with permission and confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

        When smoke gets in your eyes

        Opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 in Egypt. Photo courtesy of the UNFCCC

        COP27 and the inconvenient truth

        Viscum album in trees

        Night of the strangling figs: a biological horror story

        Out & about with Charlie Mac: Cycling to the heart of Scotland – the National Cycle Network 7

        Scotland's mountain footpaths

        How do we care for Scotland’s mountain footpath network?

        climate science

        PM to be chosen by people with little grasp of climate science

        Trending Tags

        • Opinion
        No Result
        View All Result
        • Home
        • News
          • All
          • Bylines Scotland Breaking News
          • Europe
          • King Charles III
          • Queen Elizabeth II
          • Scotland
          • War in Ukraine
          • World
          blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

          Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

          Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

          “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

          Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

          Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

          A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

          Saving Scotland’s tenements

          Ben Nevis. Forground has green shrubbery, then background a mountain with two tops. Blue sky with a few streaky clouds

          Exploring the Highest Mountain in the British Isles: A Guide to Ben Nevis

          Image via Steller Systems, a potential candidate.

          Cancelling future frigates could be final nail in the coffin for the UK

          A hospital corridor with trolleys on the sides.

          Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

          A scene of people demonstrating, holding Scotland flags. One man wears a tartan cap and holds a blue flag with both the Scottish cross and the EU stars on it.

          Is Alister Jack sane?

          Cartoon by Stan

          Film reviews award season

          Trending Tags

          • Democracy
          • Devolution
          • Brexit
          • Ukraine
        • Politics
          • All
          • Council Areas
          • Europe
          • Holyrood
          • Liz Truss
          • Rest of UK
          • Tories
          • United Kingdom
          • Westminster
          • World
          blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

          Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

          A scene of people demonstrating, holding Scotland flags. One man wears a tartan cap and holds a blue flag with both the Scottish cross and the EU stars on it.

          Is Alister Jack sane?

          Image Malcom Laverty

          The Brown plan

          The climate change impacts of Russia’s war with Ukraine

          Britain wastes £1bn on drones to monitor English Channel

          The Autumn Statement – time to take a closer look

          Photo Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

          Christmas cheer for Tesco if grim reading for the political classes

          Scottish independence isn’t going away

          Russia as a low-tech nation

          Trending Tags

          • Crime
          • Equality
          • Johnson
          • Scottish National Party
        • Business
          • All
          • Agriculture
          • Aviation
          • Corporations
          • Energy
          • Fishing
          • Natural Resources
          • Shipbuilding
          • Trade
          • Transport
          • Workers
          A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

          Saving Scotland’s tenements

          A large red researcgh vessel in the sea with ice sheets all around it on the water.

          Rosyth shipyard attracts UK Government contract to maintain fleet of scientific research vessels

          large posts saying 'Glasgow Airport Business Park' on the left and right of a road leading away from the main road in the front. . On that road leading away building with walls almost entirely existing of windows.

          Why doing business in Scotland may be better for your corporate wellbeing

          A mountain of spools forming a tree on the left, a sandy area to the right and a row of houses at the back. mountains in the distance on the right

          The Ullapool Giving Tree

          Electric off-roader heralds return of vehicle mass-production in Scotland after 40 years

          Photo Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

          Christmas cheer for Tesco if grim reading for the political classes

          Ferguson Marine will weather the storm

          Order placed for remaining five Type 26 Frigates on the Clyde

          Police Scotland not investigating Scottish government over ferry contract criminality

          Trending Tags

          • Health
            • All
            • Assisted dying
            • Covid
            • Influenza
            • Polio virus
            • Respiratory
            • Scientific Research
            Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

            “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

            Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

            Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

            A hospital corridor with trolleys on the sides.

            Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

            Two more unions reject Scottish Government NHS pay offer

            GMB union reject Scottish Government pay offer to NHS staff

            Lymphocites gathering

            How careful should we be when choosing a scientific term?

            Code Black – A mayday from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

            The challenges facing mental health care in Scotland

            Illustration by author

            What are the boundaries to push science to its safety limits for the benefit of discoveries?

            Trending Tags

            • Environment
              • All
              • Air Pollution
              • Biology
              • Climate Change
              • Wildfires
              Ardnish wildfire by Leslie Barrie, CC BY-SA 2.0 Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons'

              Fire threats in the Scottish countryside

              Wood stove at the foot of the bed in the Danish Blue room at Pig Hill Inn, Cold Spring, New York. Printed with permission and confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

              When smoke gets in your eyes

              Opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 in Egypt. Photo courtesy of the UNFCCC

              COP27 and the inconvenient truth

              Viscum album in trees

              Night of the strangling figs: a biological horror story

              Out & about with Charlie Mac: Cycling to the heart of Scotland – the National Cycle Network 7

              Scotland's mountain footpaths

              How do we care for Scotland’s mountain footpath network?

              climate science

              PM to be chosen by people with little grasp of climate science

              Trending Tags

              • Opinion
              No Result
              View All Result
              Bylines Scotland
              No Result
              View All Result
              Home Rights and Freedoms Iran

              Woman, Life, Freedom protests in Glasgow and elsewhere

              Yes, admire, but above all understand why lives are risked protesting in Iran. Then cast your eye on the UK and increasing loss of freedoms

              Sara DavinibySara Davini
              02-12-2022 12:31
              in Iran, Rights and Freedoms, Women
              Protests in Glasgow against Iran regime. Photographs by author

              Protests in Glasgow against Iran regime. Photographs by author

              Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

              I am sure many are like me and have switched off from TV and radio news as it just all seems so distressing and there is a feeling that we can’t do an awful lot about any of it. I know this is wrong but there is a certain amount of self-preservation going on!

              It is not so easy for others to switch off from world events as many are worried about families, friends and relatives living elsewhere. For example, those from Iran are currently watching on from afar as a new wave of protests is taking place. The recent wave began after the death on 16 September this year of a young Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, 22, at the hands of Iran’s morality police for allegedly breaking the strict rules on hijabs.

              I have spoken with a few Iranians recently and am trying to understand what it must feel like to look on as your family and country seem to be under such uncertainty.

              There are varied protests springing up in Iran with immense numbers involved in some cases. There are boycotts of certain government backed brands and some shopkeepers have not opened their shops in protest. One recent video had allegedly shown a shopkeeper being beaten for sheltering a protester.

              And a recent cry for help was sent out of the country by some doctors who had been following their Hippocratic Oaths to treat injured protestors but were not given the chance before the security personnel had taken the mostly young and injured protestors away.

              Many of young protesters are currently imprisoned

              Distressing reports from the country indicate that over 400 protesters, including over 60 children, have been killed and close to 18,000 arrested as security forces have struggled to suppress what Iran’s leaders have portrayed as ‘riots’, according to the Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). It has also reported the deaths of a number of security personnel.

              It is extremely hard to imagine the fear and worry for the parents of one of those young people.

              Support of Iranian protesters in Glasgow, Berlin and Edinburgh

              On Saturday 19 November, hundreds of Iranians and their supporters took to the streets of Glasgow in a march for justice in support of protestors in Iran with the slogan ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’. The marchers highlighted the plight of dozens of protesters who have already been sentenced to death by rushed, sham courts and to remember the victims of flight PS752. The visual imagery and the passion of the protesters was striking.

              A recent march in Berlin in October saw over 80,000 Iranians from Germany and elsewhere in Europe uniting in solidarity with protestors in Iran. The mood was one of unity and was inspirational.

              A ‘Woman Life Freedom’ mural has been painted at St John’s, Princes Street in Edinburgh and the finished mural was opened on Sunday 27 November.

              The Islamic Republic of Iran and Sharia law

              Iran is a country with a rich cultural heritage and one of the oldest, if not the oldest, civilisations.

              Iran has been ruled by different monarchies almost without interruption from 1501 until 1979 when the Iranian Revolution led to the country becoming an Islamic republic. Iran has a population of 86 million. It’s estimated four million migrated to other countries after the revolution, with over a million to the USA.

              Demographically a young country, Iran’s median age is 32, compared with the UK medium of 40, the USA 38 and 48 for Japan.

              Iran’s constitution defines the country as an Islamic Republic, with Shia Islam as the official state religion. All laws and regulations must be based on ‘Islamic criteria’ and an official interpretation of sharia. The Zoroastrian, Jewish and Christian faiths are recognised. However, according to a US Department of State 2021 report on international religious freedom: Iran, there has been ongoing discrimination against other minority religions such as the Baha’i community.

              Image via author, printed with permission.
              Lifestyle

              Women, life, freedom for Iran

              byKat Cary
              14 October 2022

              Is Iran now in Free-fall​?

              On 16 December 2021 the UN General Assembly approved a resolution expressing a number of serious concerns about human rights but also balance this with a few positives. This November, the European Parliament strongly opposed capital punishment and violent oppression of legitimate protest. Direct contact between the European Parliament delegations and committees with official Iranian counterparts has ceased until further notice. They declared they would not look away from those in the streets of Iran.

              The economy of Iran now seems to be in free-fall. Many have not been paid for months and the currency has plummeted. The currency has seen a continuous drop in value since the 1979 revolution when one US dollar was worth 70 Iranian rials compared to its current value of 1 USD = 42,400 rials.

              The internet in Iran is down, presumably to restrict communications amongst protesters and also with the outside world. In the last uprising in November 2019, when Iranians protested against an overnight three-fold hike in fuel prices, a similar complete shutdown of the internet was followed by the killing of at least 304 people according to Amnesty International, although it has been estimated by other sources to have been in the thousands.

              For Iranians abroad trying to find out what is happening most are following events via sources such as Instagram, with posts making their way through the internet filtering by the use of VPNs (virtual private networks). The videos are often distressing but show the immense scale of the protests. There has been limited coverage of events in Iran and our mainstream media, some of which may be due to being unable to verify sources.

              The attention of much of the world is currently on Qatar, where the Iranian football team is participating the 2022 World Cup. However, recent reports indicate that Qatar (who support the Iranian regime) have cancelled visas for Iran International Television (IITV) reporters. IITV London-based television station has been closely reporting on the revolution on the streets. However, the Iranian government has now designated IITV as a ‘terrorist’ organisation.

              Qatar is ranked 119th on the World Press Freedom Index 2022 created by Reporters Without Borders, while Iran is ranked 178 out of 180 countries. Incidentally, the United Kingdom is ranked 24th.

              What can be done? Are protesters helpless?

              Protesters in Berlin and the recent protests in Glasgow, asked western countries to stop signing deals with Iran and for western governments to cease any contact with the Iranian authorities and the regime. There have been repeated cries for cessation of diplomatic ties with the Islamic Republic, who are not regarded by the protesters as the legitimate representatives of the people.

              Let’s keep track of our country’s trade and diplomatic links with other countries. We must ensure that we have moral foreign policies.

              Join with protesters to fight for freedom, not just in Iran but elsewhere. Even in the United Kingdom, recent bills have led to loss of freedoms for protesters. Governments must listen to their citizens. Without freedom to speak out and protest how can we improve our societies for our citizens?

              Take action for worldwide solidarity

              Let’s come together for a much better world.

              Yes, admire, but above all understand why lives are at risk for protesters in Iran. Then look at the UK and recent bills that have led to the loss of freedoms for our protesters.

              Great read! Let me buy you a coffee.

              Tags: DemocracyIran protestsWoman Life Freedom
              Previous Post

              Forest Schools – teaching an old dog some new tricks

              Next Post

              Scotland back in the EU is supported by a big majority of Scottish voters

              Sara Davini

              Sara Davini

              Sara Davini joined the team of authors at Bylines Scotland on 2 December 2021.

              Related Posts

              March and rally outside the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood), 5 September 2022 in support of Trans rights. Picture by Kat Cary, used with permission.
              Gender Recognition Reform Bill

              Gender Recognition Reform Bill no longer about gender recognition if London blocks Royal assent

              byMartin Roche
              31 December 2022
              Freedom of the press

              Senior officers encourage press freedom after journalists arrested

              byGeorge Allison
              10 November 2022
              Abuse and Violence

              Dana Leslie: University of Dundee art student wins prestigious global award

              byCharlie McCarthy
              23 September 2022
              Edinburgh march in support of trans rights head down the Royal Mile towards the Scottish Parliament. Picture by the author and used with permission
              LBGT+

              Edinburgh march and rally showed support for trans equality

              byKat Cary
              13 September 2022
              Next Post
              First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying EU citizens living and working in Scotland make an invaluable contribution to our society, culture and economy.. Photograph courtesy of the Scottish Government printed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic licence

              Scotland back in the EU is supported by a big majority of Scottish voters

              Subscribe to our newsletters
              CHOOSE YOUR NEWS
              Follow us on social media
              CHOOSE YOUR PLATFORMS
              Download our app
              ALL OF BYLINES IN ONE PLACE
              Subscribe to our gazette
              CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SUSTAINABILITY
              Make a monthly or one-off donation
              DONATE NOW
              Help us with our hosting costs
              SIGN UP TO SITEGROUND
              We are always looking for citizen journalists
              WRITE FOR US
              Volunteer as an editor, in a technical role, or on social media
              VOLUNTEER FOR US
              Something else?
              GET IN TOUCH
              Previous
              Next

              LATEST

              blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

              Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

              31 January 2023
              Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

              “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

              30 January 2023
              Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

              Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

              27 January 2023
              A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

              Saving Scotland’s tenements

              27 January 2023

              MOST READ

              blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

              Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

              31 January 2023
              close up picture of part of a violin

              Amateur orchestra delivers rousing performance in first post-lockdown concert

              26 January 2023
              A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

              Saving Scotland’s tenements

              27 January 2023
              Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

              “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

              30 January 2023

              BROWSE BY TAGS

              Alister Jack Brexit Christmas Climate change cost of living crisis Covid Culture Defence Democracy Devolution Gender Recognition Reform Glasgow Halloween health History Holyrood independence IndyRef2 Johnson Journalism Liz Truss Long Covid Monarchy nationalism NATO NHS Nicola Sturgeon politics Poverty Putin Russia Sars-CoV-2 Scotland Security Security and Defence shipbuilding SNP Sunak Supreme Court Tories Tourism Twitter Ukraine UK Supreme Court War in Ukraine
              Bylines Scotland

              We are a not-for-profit citizen journalism publication. Our aim is to publish well-written, fact-based articles and opinion pieces on subjects that are of interest to people in Scotland and beyond.

              Bylines Scotland is a trading brand of Bylines Network Limited, which is a sister organisation to Byline Times.

              Learn more about us

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Bylines network
              • About
              • Authors
              • Contact
              • Donate
              • Privacy

              © 2022 Bylines Scotland. Citizen Journalism | Local & Internationalist

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Home
              • News
                • Scotland
                • World
              • Politics
                • Council Areas
                • Europe
                • Holyrood
                • Rest of UK
                • Westminster
              • Business
                • Fishing
                • Trade
                • Transport
              • Health
              • Environment
                • Climate Change
              • Opinion
              • Donate

              © 2022 Bylines Scotland. Citizen Journalism | Local & Internationalist

              Welcome Back!

              Login to your account below

              Forgotten Password?

              Retrieve your password

              Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

              Log In