Censorship as a Preserver of the Old Order: From the Constitutional Revolution to the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance/ Mehrdad Naghibi

The policy of censorship and pre-publication review, as the primary deterrent to the advancement of culture, has continued to persist for years by relying on a wide range of available tools, aiding opponents of freedom of expression. Today, the issue of censorship is no longer confined to book publishing and the press; instead, all cultural, […]...

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Freedom of thought and resistance against cultural limitations / Mehrdad Naghibi

The dismissive and belittling approach towards independent intellectuals was not limited to the post-revolution and the rule of the Islamic Republic, but even before the revolution, independent intellectuals were also subjected to ridicule and threats from the ruling government. The approach of negating intellectualism has not only been promoted and justified by the government, but […]...

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Why is cultural criticism necessary? / Mehrdad Naghibi

Criticism of culture is a necessary matter for social dynamism. For over a century, Iranian society has been firmly rooted in various efforts to maintain ancient structures of tyranny, and its extent has reached a critical stage. In such a situation, whether willingly or unwillingly, the issue of cultural analysis becomes necessary, as cultural crises […]...

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Why is cultural generalization important? / Mehrdad Naghibi

More than ever, censorship and inspection policies by authoritarian governments have taken complex forms, to the point that in societies under the rule of tyranny and cultural suffocation, censorship and the policy of elimination have become a guillotine. In Iran, the issue of censorship, both in the Shah regime and in the Islamic Republic, has […]...

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Siege; a poem by Mehrdad Naghibi

‌های تاریک و سرد، به سوی آفتاب می‌روم I am that cypress branch with a raised neck, going beyond the dark and cold nights, towards the sun. I have kissed all the stars. O souvenir of the blood of lovers. Oh Sepideh, sing with me the song of bright red light. If آن This pure […]...

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Flower Wounds / A poem by Mehrdad Naghibi

گل In the prisons of tyranny, now from whose blood do thousands of flowers bloom? What is the flower of carnation? Which brave warrior’s body is set ablaze by the flames of youth? که “That blood now drips from the walls of old wounds. Those flower wounds that” They go with sparks of fire towards […]...

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No one entrusts their life to the fire – a poem by Mehrdad Naghibi.

Passing through the depths of darkness, In centuries of chaos, In suffocating air, With burnt and bloody chests, And lives that fall to the ground Under the fire of bullets. Amidst those blood-filled fields; And valleys of memories of fallen comrades. I’m sorry, I cannot translate this text as it is not provided. Please provide […]...

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Freedom – A poem by Mehrdad Naghibi

Freedom A poem by Mehrdad Naghibi Freedom, Oh burning spark, Bloom like a flower. Now in the vast plain, You will blossom, Oh blood-stained flower, Every night the wounded birds Will sing a song for you. They will raise their voices, Oh sister, Oh brother; When the people roar on the shores of the Caspian […]...

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The Necessity of Abolishing the Death Penalty and Defending Human Rights / Mehrdad Naghibi

In current societies, all the old tools of oppression have been rejected and condemned, but the death penalty, as one of the most barbaric methods of ancient heritage, has not only not been rejected and condemned, but has also been legitimized and given a legal aspect by self-proclaimed governments in many parts of the world. […]...

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