More news from Iran and Afghanistan

[kat_rowe]

Five Iranian protestors were sentenced to death: http://www.rferl.org/content/Iranian_Death_Sentences_Seen_As_Intimidation_Move_Over_Postelection_Unrest/1881487.html

And one student was sentenced to eight years in prison (not as terrible as the death sentences but still insane): http://www.rferl.org/content/Iran_Student_Gets_Eight_Years_Over_Protests/1878265.html

A doctor working at the detention center where widespread prisoner abuse was reported is dead and some sources are claiming his death is a suicide: http://www.rferl.org/content/Tehran_Detention_Center_Doctors_Death_Arouses_Suspicions/1879441.html

According to one member of the Iranian parliament, there is no Green Revolutionary Movement; don’t I feel silly supporting it all these months? http://www.rferl.org/content/Green_Opposition_Movement_Doesnt_Exist/1877610.html

An Iranian human rights activist has been receiving death-threats: http://www.rferl.org/content/Iranian_Nobel_Laureate_Threatened_Harassed/1883866.html

Iranian authorities are sending out text-messages warning people not to get involved in the protests: http://www.rferl.org/content/Authorities_Warn_Iranians_Not_To_Protest_By_SMS/1883679.html

And from Afghanistan, Karzai was sworn in and pledges to learn from his country’s past mistakes and fight corruption more strongly than in the past (not that it’s really possible to do LESS than he did last term): http://www.rferl.org/content/Karzai_To_Take_Oath_Future_Of_Afghan_War_At_Stake/1881950.html

Of course, to combat corruption in Afghanistan, the West is going to have to pony up and practice what it preaches, too: http://www.rferl.org/content/From_Words_To_Deeds_In_Afghanistans_Corruption_Fight/1881737.html

The Afghan Attorney General started an investigation this week: http://www.rferl.org/content/Afghanistan_Launches_New_Corruption_Investigations/1878011.html

So, yeah, basically everything sucks everywhere. But, on a more positive note, there’s a move to rebuild the Afghan Buddha statues destroyed when the Taliban first came to power: http://www.rferl.org/content/Conference_Set_On_Rebuilding_Afghan_Buddha_Statues/1873900.html

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled lives.