Sophia Akram
Fair Observer
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Past articles by Sophia:
Potent Whisper: Breaking Down Borders With Dreams
In this guest edition of The Interview, Sophia Akram talks to British rapper and spoken-word artist, Potent Whisper. → Read More
If Britain wants to lead on human rights, it should start with its own citizens
The UK has been carving out an image for itself of late, as some sort of vanguard of international justice. This week’s announcement on post-Brexit sanctions, for instance, targeting grave human rights abusers, follows its offer of UK citizenship for British Nationals Overseas in Hong Kong. → Read More
Don’t clap for our carers tonight – it means nothing when the government is failing them so badly
On Thursday evenings at 8pm, there’s only one place I’ve really needed to be in lockdown: on my balcony, applauding, hooting, and maybe giving my skillet a good bang for added effect. I’ve never thought of #clapforcarers as an empty gesture; I’m genuinely grateful for those frontline workers, while I work from home, and, being safe and well, I count my blessings every day. → Read More
The Women of WikiLeaks: Speaking Truth to Power
The conversation in the media about WikiLeaks has been dominated by men. → Read More
Why Are We Still Talking About Iran In The World Cup?
Activists for equality in sport have long been advocating for parity of Iranian women and girls with men in sport, so the benefits can be shared across the whole gender spectrum. → Read More
CODEPINK’s Medea Benjamin Takes A Look Inside Iran
Medea Benjamin’s entry into the public sphere came with disruptive vigor in May 2013, when she interrupted an address by former US President Barack Obama to object to his then policy on the use of armed drones. Obama responded to Benjamin at the time saying, “The voice of that woman is worth paying attention to… … → Read More
NIAC’s New President Jamal Abdi
November last year, in Virginia’s Fairfax county, an unarmed man in a car was gunned down after police officers pursued him in his vehicle. The man was Bijan Ghaisar, a 25 year-old American of Iranian heritage, and his death is a subject of an FBI investigation and potential unlawful killing. Ghaisar comes up in conversation … → Read More
Israeli Allies Are Propping Up a Brutal Occupier
Israel’s allies are tolerating and propping up a brutal occupier. → Read More
Do Iranian Americans Receive Equal Rights Before The Law?
Everyone must be equal before the law. This is a phrase some Iranians might take with a pinch of salt. Particularly in the era of Trump when many of them have been banned from even traveling to the US, just by virtue of where they come from. But they wouldn’t be alone. Iranian Americans and … → Read More
Italy's Migration Policy: A Dark Trade-Off on Human Rights
Italy's tough immigration policies should not trade off human rights obligations either domestically or internationally. → Read More
1000 Days And Counting
It’s time Narges Mohammadi and other prisoners of conscience in Iran are released from prison. → Read More
Residents are taking on landlords to stop 'social cleansing' in the shadow of Grenfell Tower
Lessons not learned. → Read More
The world's most powerful oil companies are about to face their day of reckoning
New York City has announced a move that could mean a day of reckoning for the oil industry. It’s taking some of the most powerful oil companies to task by suing them. BP, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Shell are the five companies New York Mayor Bill de Blasio says the city is suing for their contribution to climate change. But de Blasio isn’t stopping there. He also says the city will… → Read More
The latest message from swing voters will terrify Theresa May [VIDEO]
A BritainThinks focus group broadcast on ITV had some terrifying insights for Theresa May on reshuffle day: > BritainThinks focus group of swing voters as featured on @itvnews at 10 now: our voters don't have any good news for @theresa_may on #reshuffle day with @debmattinson & @morrell_lucy pic.twitter.com/o3DMGD962T — BritainThinks (@BritainThinks) January 8, 2018 The group asked swing… → Read More
Just why is a hashtag from the other side of the world trending right now? [TWEETS]
The murder of an eight-year-old girl in Pakistan has been followed by outrage that police are not doing enough to find her killer. This has led to an outpouring of condemnation on the streets and also on social media under the hashtag #JusticeForZainab. Now politicians, celebrities and the public are following her case closely and demanding justice. The young girl called Zainab reportedly went… → Read More
With Ash On Their Faces: Yezidi Women And The Islamic State
In 2014 the Yezidis caught the attention of the world. Amid ISIS's bloody battles for Iraq and Syria was the plight of a minority sect, who the Kurds claimed ethnically belonged to them. Reports of the mass abduction, rape and enslavement of Yezidi women made headlines and was impossible to ignore. Some of the harrowing … → Read More
The Grenfell inquiry's latest choice of adviser beggars belief
Appropriate? → Read More
How the children of Grenfell are celebrating Christmas this year [VIDEO]
Coinciding with a sad week, six months after the Grenfell Tower fire, a nearby project held a Christmas party to help children replace some of the awful memories of the blaze with more joyful ones, putting smiles firmly back on their little faces. Doing for themselves The founder of the community-run project ‘Kids on the Green’, Zoe LeVack, tells Double Down News [0:00]: > There was an epic… → Read More
How the student movement of 2010 may well have paved the way for Jeremy Corbyn's success in 2017
A book from Pluto Press written by Matt Myers tells the story of the student revolt of 2010. And how it may well have paved the way for Jeremy Corbyn to become the leader of the Labour Party in 2017. In 2010, young people protested against a wave of government cuts to education. Increases in tuition fees and cuts to Education Maintenance Allowance made education seem less accessible and this… → Read More
Changing The World, One Micro-Act At A Time
Iranian-American couple Joe and Sarah Kiani are recognized for their humanitarian efforts. And it all started with one small act of kindness. → Read More