News and Analysis (1/15/21)

Truck parked near US Capitol during last week’s riot had a threatening message singling out Andre Carson for being one of the few Muslims in the US Congress:

• Muslim Congressman Singled Out by Man Arrested During US Capitol Riot (Middle East Eye)

Fairfax County is being sued for when Muslim school board member was pulled over, pepper-sprayed, and forced to take off her hijab:

• Council Files Lawsuit After Muslim Woman Says Fairfax Police Forced Her to Remove Hijab (WSET-TV)

Cracking down on the losers of last November’s elections, Jordan confirms that the Muslim Brother has been “dissolved and lost its legal status” in a move to deny competition “to the state’s previous political levers, the tribes and the army”:

• Jordan Revisits Relationship with Muslim Brotherhood (Al-Monitor)

As Pompeo piles more lame duck sanctions on Iran …

• U.S. Imposes Fresh Sanctions on Iran in Final Days of Trump Presidency (Reuters)

… and over two dozen VoA employees demand “the immediate resignation of their new director and his top deputy” for allowing Pompeo to commandeer the outlet for a propaganda event, counterterrorism officials and Russia’s challenge his claims:

• Friend or Foe? Controversy over Iran-Qaeda Claim (France 24)
• Russia Slams US Over Accusing Iran of Supporting Al-Qaeda (Middle East Monitor)

The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) released report regarding China’s involvement with Uyghurs indicating possible US intervention in the future:

• China Possibly Carried Out “Genocide” Against Uyghurs: US Congress Report (NDTV)

As WhatsApp users look for alternatives following recent security and privacy changes, both Turkey and Iran take advantage of the situation to promote their own messaging apps for potential censorship and spying:

• French Firm Collects Location Data from Muslim App (Daily Sabah)
• Turkey, Iran Find Opportunity in WhatsApp Crisis (Ahval)

The application of India’s 14-year old Forest Rights Act to occupied Kashmir may be a silver lining for Kashmir’s forest nomads:

• Kashmir Forest Dwellers Hope Long-delayed Law Will Stop Evictions (Aljazeera)

As Pakistan claims a diplomatic victory as British parliament addresses the crisis in Indian-occupied-Kashmir, and calls for the US and EU to do the same …

• UK Parliament Debate Made Clear Kashmir is Not India’s ‘Internal Issue’: FM (Dawn)

… a Biden appointment signals a potential for an improved US policy:

• U.S. President-elect Joe Biden Inducts Second Kashmir-born Expert in his Team, Leading to Speculation of a Boost to International Human Rights Groups’ Activism on Kashmir (Frontline)

Sweden, which authorizes itself to judge crimes in other countries against non-Swedes,  recently arrested an Iranian national for alleged involvement in the 1988 mass execution of political prisoners in Iran:

• Swedish Trial Paves the Way for Accountability for Iran’s Human Rights Violations (Atlantic Council)

Johaer Jilani