Notations On Our World (Thursday Edition): Out & About re #CoronaVirus & Other Thoughts

Exhausted Iranian Health Workers at the forefront of the Virus 

The World has been gearing up to fight the Corona Virus.    As we went to press, the US House of Representatives passed a 8.9 Billion Dollar Package that was slated to be voted by the US Senate and subsequent signature by President Trump.  Italy was dealing with a crisis as it closed out schools and Universities.  Iran continued to be the epic center in the MENA (Middle East/North Africa Region) as this from the indivisible provided guidance on the view of the funding bill passed by the US House of Representatives:

We know it’s been a tough week, but we have some good news to report: Earlier today we got word that all three of our asks were included in the bipartisan emergency funding bill to address the coronavirus outbreak. You can read NPR’s coverage of the bill by clicking here.  Getting all three asks means the bill has no money for DHS, includes transfer restrictions to keep Trump from stealing money for bad things (like his wall, immigration enforcement, etc.), and that there's language to help ensure that the treatment or vaccine is affordable and accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy.  Indivisibles helped make this happen by calling your members of Congress and demanding that the bill stayed clean, included a strong public health response, and didn’t exacerbate harm to vulnerable communities. As a movement, we can be really proud that we put forward an intersectional analysis that blended democracy, immigration, and healthcare; organized with coalitions, and quickly used pressure to elevate our asks.  While it’s important that we celebrate this win, we also have to face the fact that the coronavirus is spreading and that Congress still has to vote on this bill, and the Trump Administration has to implement it. Here’s what we’ll be watching for elected officials to do in the next few days:  Making sure that the supplemental funding bill is passed and signed quickly so that we can immediately address the outbreak and help those impacted. Ensuring that test kits are readily available for healthcare workers. Click here to read about how the Trump Administration only has 2500 test kits (!!). Demanding that the Trump Administration doesn’t suppress information in an effort to claim that the virus is contained. Read about how the Trump administration has tried to hide the impact of the virus. Overall, we urge you, your friends and neighbors, and every elected official to listen to medical professionals for your news and action items, not the Trump reelection campaign. You can find our coronavirus resource here -- we’ll be updating it frequently as our asks change, so stay tuned for that. On a more individual note, take care, wash your hands frequently, and try to stay home when you’re feeling ill if your job and finances allow it. Click here to read more about the coronavirus, including how to prevent and treat the illness.  Iran claimed that it approved the furlough of 54,000 prisoners although we received this on the detention of a leading Iranian Filmmaker and the continued profound challenges faced by Iranian Filmmakers as the corona virus rages on in Iran:  Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, Renowned Filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof Summoned to Prison https://iranhumanrights.org/2020/03/amid-coronavirus-outbreak-renowned-filmmaker-mohammad-rasoulof-summoned-to-prison/ Rasoulof’s Film About Iran’s Death Penalty Recently Won Top Prize at Berlin Film Festival  March 4, 2020 – The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) strongly condemns the Iranian judiciary’s decision to put internationally acclaimed filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof in harm’s way by summoning him to prison when thousands of prisoners are being released to prevent coronavirus transmissions. “Yet again we’re witnessing the cruel lengths judicial officials will go to stifle peaceful criticism of state policies,” said CHRI Executive Director Hadi Ghaemi. “Filmmakers and free speech advocates everywhere should loudly call for this absurd sentence to be rescinded.” “Making films shouldn’t be a life-endangering act,” he added. “This case is about the state’s ongoing efforts to criminalize freedom of expression and a filmmaker’s courageous attempts to challenge them.” Rasoulof was summoned to Tehran’s Evin Prison to serve a one-year prison sentence for the content of his films via text message, his lawyer told the Associated Press. In July 2019, Rasoulof informed CHRI that he had been charged with “propaganda against the state” for the content of his films. Rasoulof was summoned less than a week after his film “There is No Evil,” about Iran’s death penalty policy, won the top prize at the Berinale – Berlin International Film Festival. He was unable to attend the award ceremony because the judiciary has banned him from traveling abroad, but discussed his film with the festival's organizers via a video interview. Filmmakers in Iran face enormous pressure from the Iranian government to refrain from producing films that challenge or criticize state policies. The Iranian judiciary has a documented history of punishing filmmakers who have resisted that pressure. Several Iranian directors have been sentenced to prison and seen their films banned in Iran after refusing to toe state lines. In November 2019, more than 200 members of the country's film industry signed an open letter condemning state censorship policies. “All these restrictions and obstacles have not only prevented Iranian films from shining internationally, but also eroded their domestic audience,” said the letter. “We express our disgust toward all policies that interfere in the form and content of our work and demand freedom of expression and thought.” As part of our commitment to be supportive in this war on the #CoronaVirus, please note this guidance courtesy the team at eHealth: Coronavirus FAQ: What You Need to Know What is the coronavirus (COVID-19), and how does it spread? Read our FAQ to understand symptoms, confirmed cases, and more. Continue reading