FASHION AND FREEDOM IN IRAN

In the latest case of Iranian authorities cracking down on fashion they deem “un-Islamic,” a famous clothing design institute called “Khaneh Mode” or Mode House was shut down last week in Tehran. The fashion designer had caused a controversy last month when it held a show with models wearing coats which appeared to be made of the Iranian flag—minus its religious symbols. Nor did it help that the show had allowed men among its audience, which violates conservative Islamic taboos.

book bans and the consequences

HUMOUR CANCELLED: A panel discussion at the National Library has been cancelled after a group of writers decided to boycott it over the NLB’s decision to remove two children's titles. http://cna.asia/1jDUEaV

media control and sanctions

THE Thai junta has decided to set up four panels to monitor 

various media outlets in the country, despite facing pressure 

from the West for suppressing media freedom. The United 

States, for one, has suspended security-related aid and 

cancelled high-level engagements. 

instead of north korea .... cite this as an example

Zarechny: a rare glimpse into one of Russia's last closed cities

Photographer Ksenia Yurkova provides intimate portraits of life inside a relic of the Soviet era; secret cities. Under Communism these cities were home to sensitive strategic facilities meaning most were wiped off the map, and movement was heavily restricted. Today some, like Zarechny, are gradually opening up, but dozens remain closed to the outside world, The Calvert Journal reports

1 Under Communism, closed cities were usually home to sensitive strategic facilities. Most were not shown on maps, and freedom of movement was heavily restricted.

2 Even today, Zarechny is full of out-of-bounds areas, most notably Rosatom, a state-owned corporation that manufactures parts for nuclear weapons; photography is banned there. 

3 It was only in 1986 that Russians were officially told of the closed cities in their country. More than one million people lived in them.

4 Visitors to closed cities had to be invited by residents, and even then it wasn't guaranteed they would be allowed a permit to enter

5 Zarechny’s 62,000 inhabitants are now free to come and go, but still live encircled by barbed wire fence

6 Closed cities were nicknamed “post boxes” because mail for the inhabitants would have to be sent to special post boxes in nearby towns rather than delivered directly. 

7 With cheap food and low salaries and the absence of political tensions either with nationalists or the opposition, Zarechny looks like a model Socialist wonderland

8 Though closed cities like Zarechny have gradually been opening up, dozens of others remain disconnected from the outside world.

9 “As long as Russia remains the target of aggression, we will need to test our rockets and keep the tests behind the wall to provide secrecy,” Sergey Markov, a former Duma deputy, said in 2009.