Severe turmoil in Iran with grievous human rights abuses

January 2026

Events are moving fast on the world stage. Last week saw huge uprisings in many towns and cities throughout Iran with security forces using violence in an attempt to quell them. Numbers of dead are unknown due to the internet and phone cut offs but are estimated to be at least 2,000. Help was promised by the US president but so far none has appeared and it is difficult to imagine how outside help of any kind would improve matters.

In Gaza, violence continues and 450 have died since the ceasefire. Life for people living there is desperate with inadequate food and medical supplies and living in tented communities. Over 71,000 dead who are known about, thousands more lie in the rubble. Israel is reported to be considering a fresh assault on Gaza City.

News of the Board of Peace was available and names include Donald Trump as chair and other are Tony Blair, Marco Rubio. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. There are no Palestinian names on the lists of the Board itself or on the subcommittees. Prospects for its success are dim. Vladimir Putin is reported to have been invited.

Vigil

We continue with our vigil and we held the 111th on Saturday with around 40 in attendance. One of the regular attendees has written to the local MP Mr John Glen to ask why he has never responded to emails about the vigils:

“You seem to have taken a policy of not responding to these emails.  I would be interested in your thoughts on the current situation in Gaza and to learn something of the extent to which you are able to transmit these messages from a group of your constituents to your parliamentary colleagues.  As you are my MP, this doesn’t seem a lot to ask.  I will put this letter on Salisbury CND’s website and add your reply to it, should such a reply be forthcoming“.

Mr Glen has never acknowledged the vigils in his weekly Salisbury Journal and a search of They Work for You website reveals that he has made no meaningful contribution in Parliament to the grievous situation there. He is reported to be a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel, the largest such lobby group in Parliament. A previous post analysing our three MPs and their voting record on this topic can be read here.

A video of the vigil can be accessed here. Video and image courtesy of Peter Gloyns.

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Past event

Talk by Peter Oborne on Wednesday at 7pm. Copies of his book will be available at the discounted price of £10 (cash only).