Nazy Kaviani

More than ever before, the unprecedented crackdown on Iranian authors, bloggers, poets, journalists, and filmmakers over the past several months should be a cause for concern for all Iranians worldwide. With thousands of protesters in prison for peaceful expression of their opinions and close to a hundred for reporting and documenting the brutal conditions of human rights in Iran, there is no time better than now for all Iranians with a conscience to participate in expressing their support for freedom of expression in Iran.

This is an invitation to write or to create art in support of freedom of expression in Iran. The Association of Iranian American Writers (AIAW) joins me in extending this call. Please submit your blogs, articles, poems, and art around the subject of freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and freedom of conscience. Your contributions can be in any length or style, in Farsi or in English. In the title of your blog, please include "Iran, freedom of expression," followed by your own title. It would be helpful if you could also include in the body of your submission "For Iran, freedom of expression series" linking this blog. If you choose to write in Farsi, please include "ایران، آزادی بیان" in your title.

Let us lend our collective voices to the muffled and silenced voices of many in Iran who need our support now more than ever before. Please write.