Iran Temporarily Releases Narges Mohammadi

Greetings, Meteor readers,

It’s the least wonderful time of the year—and by that, of course, I mean Spotify Wrapped season. We get it, you’ve got great* taste in music. (*Editor’s note: This does not apply to all of you.)

In today’s newsletter, we stand in awe of Narges Mohammadi and catch up with the Court’s big day yesterday. Plus, your weekend reading list.

Wrap literally anything else,

Shannon Melero

WHAT’S GOING ON

Nobel laureate and Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi has been given a three-week medical release from prison in Tehran. Mohammadi has been in and out of prison for decades and, since 2021, has been serving a 13-year sentence on charges of “spreading anti-state propaganda” for her work in Iran’s women’s rights movement. As she was being wheeled out of an ambulance on a stretcher after her release, without the required head covering, Mohammadi shouted the movement’s slogan: “Woman, Life, Freedom!”

Mohammadi has suffered several health issues during her imprisonment, including multiple heart attacks and, most recently, an emergency surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. After her leave, the state expects her to continue her imprisonment in Evin Prison. Mohammadi’s lawyers and the international community all believe that her continued imprisonment is inhumane and a violation of Mohammadi’s rights.

MOHAMMADI AFTER HER RELEASE HOLDING A PHOTO OF MAHSA AMINI. WRITTEN ON HER HAND IS “END GENDER APARTHEID” IN FARSI. (IMAGE VIA INSTAGRAM) 

Despite the severe crackdowns on public gatherings since the Mahsa Amini protests shook the nation two years ago, Iranian women have continued the fight against their theocratic government, which has in turn intensified punishments against them. Iran’s Hijab and Chastity bill—which will punish both women and men for “improper dress” by issuing fines, blocking country exit permits, and, in some extreme cases, imprisonment—will go into effect next week.

As Mohammadi recovers at home and continues to speak out for Iranian women, we are reminded of the words she wrote while still imprisoned: “Victory is not easy, but it is certain.”

AND:

• United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s murder in New York City has spurred much conversation online about the healthcare system in the U.S.—especially the role that UHC’s parent company UnitedHealth Group (the largest employer of doctors in the country) plays in the day-to-day lives of Americans. What has been strangely absent from the discourse around Thompson’s murder is an in-depth look at how the shooter was able to obtain a pistol with a silencer, as it is illegal to sell, purchase, or possess a silencer in the state of New York.

• Yesterday, during oral arguments for United States v. Skrmetti, the Supreme Court case on the constitutionality of Tennessee’s gender-affirming care ban, attorneys went toe-to-toe with the justices, the conservative majority of whom appear poised to uphold the lower court’s decision to let the ban stand. But in an exchange with one lawyer for Tennessee who argued that elected state representatives would be “the best check on potentially misguided laws” (you know, because elected representatives have never passed misguided laws), Justice Sonia Sotomayor responded, “When you’re one percent of the population or less, [it’s] very hard to see how the democratic process is going to protect you.” Our feelings exactly!

• A new documentary called Survivor Made follows six survivors of domestic violence as they rebuild their lives and overcome one of the biggest challenges facing most DV survivors in America: financial instability. The doc features friend of The Meteor Sonya Passi, who has been an anti-violence activist since she was a teenager and is the founder and CEO of FreeFrom, an organization focusing on the long-term futures of survivors. The film also features entrepreneurs who make and sell products on Gifted, a survivor-owned marketplace launched by FreeFrom. So if you’re looking for a way to give back while giving presents, you now know where to shop.

WEEKEND READING 📚

On challenging the norm: For the last 50 years, one feminist magazine you may have never heard of has been pushing back on Mormon tradition. And it’s written by Mormon feminists. (High Country News)

On asking and telling: Trump’s return to office has stirred up concerns about the resurgence of  anti-LGBTQ+ “witch hunts” in the military. (The War Horse)

On paying up for postpartum care: Retreats for new moms, which have long been the norm in parts of Europe and Asia, are popping up in the U.S. But at an astonishing $1,000 per night, are moms and babies getting what they’re paying for? (The Cut)

On your speakers: The latest episode of America, Who Hurt You? dives into the lesser-known history of Muslims in America. (Apple podcasts)

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