#mediterranean center for human rights

[momiji-kitsune]

[Image Description: A screenshot of a Instagram post by walid_mahmoud90 that received 65 likes. The post consists of a photo taking over the majority of the screenshot and two lines of text at the bottom.

The photo is of three, who appear to be male, IOF (Israeli Occupation Forces, commonly known as the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces)) soldiers dressed in full military gear including bullet-proof vests and helmets. The soldier in the middle has a gun slung over their shoulders, with the stock hanging under their left armpit and the barrel extending past the right hip where the photo stops. In the background of the photo is a burning building, with fire extending past a first-floor balcony and black smoke pouring out of every window.

The text under the photo reads: The building burning in the background is the Mediterranean Center for Human Rights.

/.End ID]

A large number of Journalists in Gaza have been killed so now we also get the evidence for their War Crimes and Genocide directly from the Occupational Army.

How convenient.

February 2 2024

119 Days of Genocide

[sopafa]

Camelot, the center of this story, is ruled by Jim Lake Jr., trollhunter and leader of both the magic and human realm. The round table, is full with knights and ladies, from all the distant lands, willing to defend the magic and fight for what is right. The queen of these lands, is Claire of the Lake, a shadowmancer. A witch. Who is able to not only control shadows, but fill Jim’s heart with pure love.

Aja Tarron, monarch of the land of Akiridion, who, despite being part of the round table, lives in her own kingdom, as opposed to her consort (the knight Palchuck) and her brother Krel (who serves as Ambassador to the lands of Camelot).

From other kingdoms, and distant lands, we have other rulers and monarchies, who have signed the peace treaty of the lands of Camelot, and follow the traditions of caring for, protecting and preserving magic, as well as magical creatures and beasts.

Rosas, an island kingdom with milk teeth, created by the King Magnífico, as a sanctuary for those who want to escape war, and leave in piece. Witches and wizards are often seen in the kingdom of Rosas, after all, it was the first kingdom to be formed with a monarch capable of manipulating magic.

Arendelle, The mountain kingdom, known for its proximity to fjords and ice magic. The world knows well the story of the so-called snow queen, and how the firstborn of the royal house of Arendelle was blessed with the kiss of ice magic, to protect her people, and prove herself worthy of the throne.

And of course, the kingdoms of the champions.

From cities, to islands. The legend says that the purest hearts come from anywhere and anywho.

No matter gold, or silver stone, what is really important is the soul.

Berk, The center of the archipelago, the land of Vikings and fierce dragons, where beasts and men live together as one. Be careful with teeth, fire and weapons, who knows, they say that the least dangerous thing in those lands are dragons. Not for nothing, Berk has no enemies.

Dumbroge, legend has it, that the oldest souls and magic itself, comes from these lands. That the richness of its power is so high that if you stand still, you can see magic itself take shape. Unfortunately, past prejudice and persecution of magical creatures in times past caused a mass migration, leaving witches and entities in short supply in this area.

Corona, the land of the sun, an island in the middle of the Mediterranean, which is said to be rich in trade, art, minerals, and above all, raw materials for magic spells. Some say that its power comes from the sun itself. Others are just lucky. The truth is that nobody knows.

[i-am-aprl]

Testimonies of former Palestinian detainees held by the occupation in the Gaza Strip, including women and children, who spoke of their exposure to severe humiliation, torture, and sexual harassment or the threat of it, were published by the Euro-Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights, calling for urgent international action to stop these violations, as the Observatory confirmed that the most dangerous testimonies it received were the exposure of female detainees. They refused to disclose their identities due to direct sexual harassment. The women concerned reported that Israeli soldiers harassed them, placed their hands on their private parts, and forced them to strip naked and remove their hijab as part of a process of torture and blackmail to force them to provide information about others.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory report confirmed that the occupation forces continue to forcibly hide detainees and subject them to torture and brutal violence from the moment of arrest until release. It stated that human rights organizations, including Israeli organizations, tried to obtain information about these detainees, but they were rejected by the Israeli authorities. It was found that detainees from Gaza are being held in prison. New centers established by the Israeli army in various locations in the Negev and Jerusalem.

Source - Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor

[mammonscheeks]

demon brothers + dateables as destinations in the human world

✎ a/n: these are my opinions! i'm south and west asian, so i am most knowlegeable about those countries, please correct me if i've said anything incorrect!

LUCIFER

new york city, usa. he likes the cold, industrial corporate feel of nyc. it helps him avoid his feelings.

anywhere in germany. he likes their no-nonsense culture and unspoken social rules.

MAMMON

las vegas, nevada, usa. he always begs mc to take him there. the flashy lights and casinos are right up his alley.

dubai, uae. he loves the luxurious feel of it, and how its the center of celebrity gatherings, vacations, and parties.

LEVIATHAN

tokyo, japan (especially the akihabara/electronic district). he's always updated on pop culture and the newest technology/games.

seychelles island, africa. he likes swimming, but not socializing on the beach. that's why he likes isolated islands.

SATAN

london, england. he's interested in their medival history and seeing the places that inspired novels like harry potter and the sherlock holmes franchise.

cat island in japan, or any mediterranean country where cats freely roam.

ASMODEUS

paris, france. he'd love paris fashion week. he also just seems french to me, idk.

seoul, south korea. he'd adore seoul's culture, everything from the modern sappy kdramas to traditional dresses, like hanbok. he would bring an empty suitcase to stuff it with beauty products.

BEELZEBUB

mumbai, india. this metropolitan city in india offers so many different kinds of food. he would love to eat his way through the city, if not the entire country.

every city in mexico. he'd try the regional cuisine, but also hang out at the beach with his brothers and mc (so cute).

BELPHEGOR

cairo, egypt. he was once fascinated with humans, and often watched them build civilizations from heaven when he was an angel. he would enjoy the historical wonders of egypt.

reykjavic, iceland. idk why he just gives me iceland vibes. life there can be slow and cold, and it often gets less light than other countries.

DIAVOLO

transylvania, romania. he loves its breathtaking castles and culture, and is intrigued with all the pop culture references of vampires.

petra, jordan. this is a significant place in abrahamic religions, known for being haunted by demons, or jinn. diavolo would be fascinated by this history, whether its actually haunted or not. i know he'd eat up those scary ghost tours (insert fic about that here) and even probably try and scare a few tourist groups, despite barbatos advising him against it.

BARBATOS

istanbul, turkiye. istanbul has well-maintained structures from the byzantine empire, the ottoman empire, and even "newer and hip" neighborhoods. barbatos, being able to see the past and future, would appreciate the blend of it all here, like he's walking through time.

kathmandu, nepal. he'd enjoy the peace of monasteries and mountains, which are as old as the earth itself.

SIMEON

tuscany, italy. he'd enjoy the vast fields, heavenly sunsets, small towns and historic churches. he would find tuscany a peaceful place to write, but appreciates the community feel of small italian towns. would definitely be so friendly he'd get invited to eat dinner at a random family's house.

thessaloniki, greece. he would absolutely love seeing all the greek orthodox churches there, with their blue and white colors and dome roofs. he is just amused to see the religious structures humans have created. he'd also probably be interested in greek mythology, even though he's an angel.

LUKE

cape town, south africa. he would be so excited to see penguins at the beach and would enjoy the burst of color south africa offers. he'd also enjoy the modern bakeries and desserts in south africa.

lyon, france. the country is known for desserts. luke would probably take a baking class there to learn how to bake more things.

SOLOMON

salem, or just any small town in massachusetts. as a sorcerer, he's intrigued with their history of "witch hunting" and the paranormal.

lalibela, ethiopia. being old, he's intrigued with how ancient cities like lalibela have changed since biblical times. he also probably enjoys learning about different cultural practices and what they have in common with his sorcery. he also wants to learn how to cook more dishes from different countries, but fails miserably

[alicearmageddon]

"The North Korean regime in the ‘50s developed a series of remarkably effective torture techniques, techniques that were so effective, in fact, that they were able to make captured American airmen admit to all sorts of atrocities they had not in fact committed, all the time, being convinced they had not, actually, been tortured. The techniques were quite simple. Just make the victim do something mildly uncomfortable—sit on the edge of chair, for example, or lean against a wall in a slightly awkward position—only, make them do it for an extremely long period of time. After eight hours the victim would be willing to do virtually anything to make it stop. But try going to the International Court of Justice at The Hague and tell them you’ve been made to sit on the edge of a chair all day. Even the victims were unwilling to describe their captors as torturers. When the CIA learned about these techniques—according to Korean friends of mine, they’re actually just particularly sadistic versions of classic Korean ways of punishing small children—they were intrigued, and, apparently, conducted extensive research on how they could be adopted for their own detention centers.

Again, sometimes, in Palestine, one feels one is in an entire country that’s being treated this way. Obviously, there is also outright torture, people who are actually being shot, beaten, tortured, or violently abused. But I’m speaking here even of the ones that aren’t. For most, it’s as if the very texture of everyday life has been designed to be intolerable—only, in a way that you can never quite say is exactly a human rights violation. There’s never enough water. Showering requires almost military discipline. You can’t get a permit. You’re always standing in line. If something breaks it’s impossible to get permission to fix it. Or else you can’t get spare parts. There are four different bodies of law that might apply to any legal situation (Ottoman, British, Jordanian, Israeli), it’s anyone’s guess which court will say what applies where, or what document is required, or acceptable. Most rules are not even supposed to make sense. It can take eight hours to drive 20 kilometers to see your girlfriend, and doing so will almost certainly mean having machine guns waved in your faces and being shouted at in a language you half understand by people who think you’re subhuman. So you do most of your dalliance by phone. When you can afford the minutes. There are endless traffic jams before and after checkpoints and drivers bicker and curse and try not to take it out on one another. Everyone lives no more than 12 or 15 miles from the Mediterranean but even on the hottest day, it’s absolutely impossible to get to the beach. Unless you climb the wall, there are places you can do that; but then you can expect to be hunted every moment by security patrols. Of course teenagers do it anyway. But it means swimming is always accompanied by the fear of being shot. If you’re a trader, or a laborer, or a driver, or a tobacco farmer, or clerk, the very process of subsistence is continual stream of minor humiliations. Your tomatoes are held and left two days to rot while someone grins at you. You have to beg to get your child out of detention. And if you do go to beseech the guards, those same guards might arbitrarily decide to hold you to pressure him to confess to rock-throwing, and suddenly you are in a concrete cell without cigarettes. Your toilet backs up. And you realize: you’re going to have to live like this forever. There is no “political process.” It will never end. Barring some kind of divine intervention, you can expect to be facing exactly this sort of terror and absurdity for the rest of your natural life."

-David Graeber, Reflections from a Visit to the West Bank

[blueiscoool]

The Roman Republic Crushed a Rebellion So Completely That This City Became a Landfill

Researchers studying the ancient site of Fregellae reveal the consequences of challenging the Roman army

Archaeologists have just uncovered an ancient city that the Roman army so thoroughly besieged that it was left uninhabited for nearly 200 years.

Researchers from the Leibniz Center for Archaeology (LEIZA), have long believed that the ancient city, Fregellae , was once allied with Rome, until residents rebelled against the republic around 125 B.C.E. But historical records from the time of the siege are quite sparse, and the center has been engaging in archaeological research to learn more about the rebellion.

"It is only mentioned in two or three sources," Dominik Maschek, an archaeologist with LEIZA, tells Live Science’s Tom Metcalfe. "We hear about the siege, they tell us these people rebelled against the Romans, but we don't know why."

Fregellae sat about 60 miles outside of Rome and was established as a Roman colony. Scholars hold a few theories as to what could have caused the uprising, including the desire for expanding human rights like land ownership and full citizenship.

The conflict took place while Rome’s consuls were waging a military campaign elsewhere. This timing could have been strategic, as the residents of Fregellae may have believed the government lacked the resources to dispatch another army.

Unfortunately for them, the empire was more than prepared. Archaeologists discovered a Roman military camp outside of the city, surrounded by a ditch and rampart. They believe that the camp was created for the siege.

“The violent destruction caused lasting damage to the entire economy of the region,” Maschek says in a LEIZA statement. “The landscape remained uninhabited for over 170 years until the area was finally used as a rubbish dump.” (Small pottery shards at the site discarded years after the siege, reavealed that the area became a landfill.)

In addition to the smaller fragments, researchers also found larger pottery pieces that were part of large vessels that stored produce. Ancient seeds at the site indicate that they were housed in a villa used to cultivate fruit, grain and wine. “The wine was probably not only produced for the local market,” says Mascheck via Google Translate in the statement. “It is quite possible that it was traded within Mediterranean exchange networks as far as Spain and France.”

The villa, the oldest in the city that archaeologists have found, was built 80 years before Fregellae’s siege. A layer of fire damage points to the fact that the Romans attacked the building and its crops at the same time as the city.

“It’s fascinating that we were able to uncover the architectural structure of such an early production site,” Maschek adds. “Despite traces of fire and the almost complete removal of the building materials, the finds offer valuable insights into the rural life and economic activities of the inhabitants at the time.”

By Julia Binswanger.

[taviamoth]

🚨 Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Observatory:

—

An international investigative committee is required for the mass graves in Gaza Strip due to the ongoing "israeli" genocide, along with sending specialized technical teams to examine and identify the victims.

We have documented mass and random graves since the first mass grave was established in Al-Shifa Complex on October 15, 2023, with the total number increasing to over 140, some containing hundreds of bodies.

Investigations into crimes associated with the existence of hundreds of mass and random graves containing the bodies of thousands of Palestinian victims since October 7, 2023, are necessary.

The recurring extraction of hundreds of martyrs' bodies from mass graves in the Strip's hospitals is horrifying and necessitates urgent international action to investigate the conditions of these graves and the circumstances of the victims' deaths.

Hundreds of bodies have been extracted from mass graves at Nasser Hospital and Al-Shifa Medical Complex, marking a dark page in the record of violations committed by "israeli" forces.

Euro-Mediterranean field teams have witnessed the extraction of dozens of victims from mass graves at Al-Shifa Complex and observed the removal of bodies of victims who were handcuffed and others who were wounded but did not receive medical care and were executed.

The bodies that were extracted were found decomposed, some were merely fragments and torn bodies, and others were headless after being crushed and run over by "israeli" bulldozers.

We documented the extraction of bodies of some patients, evidenced by the presence of urinary catheters and splints that were still attached to their bodies at the time of extraction, as well as medical files of the wounded and sick that were buried with them and extracted from two pits in Al-Shifa complex.

Most of the extracted bodies also decomposed due to the length of time, and some were clearly gnawed on by cats and dogs, after "israeli" forces hindered their extraction over the past months.

Thousands of homes in multi-story buildings have also become mass graves for their inhabitants due to the continued inability to extract them, either due to a lack of technical capabilities to remove rubble or because these buildings are in areas experiencing "israeli" military operations.

Our estimates indicate that there are more than 13,000 Palestinians missing under the rubble, or martyred in random mass graves, or forcibly disappeared in "israeli" prisons and detention centers, some of whom were killed inside.

[imperiuswrecked]

I’m so sorry to ask you to do this, but you seem to have a relatively big platform on here. If you’re comfortable doing so, please urge your followers to research the Ben Gurion Canal Project. It is a canal that would connect the Red Sea to the Mediterranean and would be a 3rd longer than the Suez Canal, it’s one of the reasons why the US and the rest of the west is so adamant on eradicating Palestinians.

This is a map of Egypt, Sinai Peninsula, and Palestine. What is happening right now is the mass genocide of the Palestinian people in the Gaza strip and other mass murders in the West Bank. Israel wants to push all the men, women, and children they didn't murder from Gaza into the Sinai Peninsula which is a desert. They want complete control of Gaza, look at how small Gaza is, look at how small. There have been the equivalent of Hiroshima levels of bombs dropped into a place that is barely a few miles long. Palestine is NOT BIG, and Gaza isn't a country it's a part of Palestine, its a city.

I posting these to show the difference, I won't post all the gore and death pictures of the victims, people can look that up for themselves.

Gaza houses millions of Palestinians, many of whom are refuges from the 1948 Nakba, where their homes and lands in the north, south, and center of Palestine were destroyed or stolen by Israeli Settlers. Despite that they have a beautiful city, they built their lives there, through all the wars Israel waged on the Palestinian people they built beauty. This isn't the first time Gaza is being bombed. Gaza has been an open air concentration camp for 16 years, the people inside cannot leave, no one who isn't cleared by the Israeli Military can enter. They have cut off the people of Gaza from the rest of the world for years. No amount of peaceful protest by the people of Palestine asking Israel to take down the wall, to let them have rights, to let them return to their homes, to visit any other part of their country has worked. They murdered the peaceful protestors. This time though they don't want to just make war on Palestine, or drop the annual bombs, they want to eradicate the people of Palestine in Gaza. They are leveling this place to rubble. They have bombed grocery stories, schools, bakeries, universities, churches, mosques, hospitals, cancer centers, more hospitals, they have murdered over 10,000 people in one month, UN workers, Doctors, Journalists, civilians, babies, children, women, men, the elderly, the queers, the Christians, the Muslims, everyone, even the Israeli hostages they keep screaming about, 60 of them have been murdered by Israel themselves. Every form of life they can find they kill. They have cut off all aid. They have cut off all water. They have cut off or destroyed any sources of food. Even before this they have ships in the sea to stop fishermen from fishing too far out. They saw the starving people of Gaza fishing for food in this ongoing massacre, they bombed the boats. This is a genocide. They have been very open about how this is a genocide, there is no confusion here this is the deliberate genocide of the Palestinians. Israel has the support of America. Israel and America will not do a ceasefire. This is very deliberate. Why? The land is so small, they already have almost all of the other land, so why? Besides hating all Palestinians, besides that, why?

Gaza has oil/gas, the resource belongs to the Palestinian people. Israel has already made contracts for companies to come mine the resources. They don't have that right. It belongs to Gaza. Palestine has been slowly suffocating under the Israeli Occupation for 75 years, no human rights, no way for the economy to make money, no self determination, olive trees are burned, farmers land have been stolen, Israel pushes their own products for sale, everything is controlled by Israel. This resource would have brought in money to the Palestinian Economy, it could have lead to more jobs for people. They wouldn't have to rely on trying to get work visas to work in the occupied territories.

But the biggest reason? The Ben Gurion Canal Project.

We all know the Suez Canal, how could anyone on tumblr forget the Ever Given and the Suez Canal?

The Suez Canal brings in over 9 million dollars yearly to Egypt. Egypt controls the canal. Western Powers, America, UK, etc. don't like that. Israel wants to cut Palestine, they want to tear into its earth, they want to rip a scar down Palestine to make Ben Gurion Canal. If they did this, then they would control the canal, and all those millions of dollars would go right back to Israel and America and their allies. All that money made from the blood of innocent people. Built on the destruction of stolen land. Paid for with the lives of Palestinians. This is why Israel is will not stop murdering people. This is why America gave them the green light to murder as much people as they want. This is why they do not care about the history, bombed old historical buildings like the 3rd oldest church in the history of the world. This is why they do not care about a single Palestinian life.

It's not about religion, it's not about "arab terrorism", it's not about any of the lies that they tell. This is about leveling Gaza to dust so they can build their canal and bring more death and more control over neighboring countries and controlling resources in the middle east.

If you want to learn more about Palestine then follow @palipunk who has great resources, there are lots of books, and information out there just ready to teach people about who we are and why we fight so hard to survive. We deserve to live free on our land. Don't just listen to lies the Western and Israeli media tells everyone, do your own research and share if you all can.

Palestine is small. It's a country that wants to be free, from the British, from America, from Israel. Palestine has been fighting for so long to be free, all the people want is to live on their land, to grow their olive trees, to fish in the sea, to create, to love, to be able to visit each other without walls or soldiers controlling us, to pray, to share in humanity, to be respected and seen as humans. Palestine is old and small and beautiful. Palestine is made up of so many beautiful people and religions, we have such a rich culture and history, we love to sing, we love to dance, and write poetry, and tell stories, and cook, we love to learn, did you know we have the highest literacy rate per population? We love each other, we love the world. Palestine is our hearts, they are killing our hearts.

[workersolidarity]

[ 📹 Footage from the moment when Zionist occupation forces opened fire on crowds of starving Palestinians as they waited for food aid trucks to arrive to the Al-Kuwaiti roundabout in Gaza City on Thursday. At least 20 civilians were killed, 40 by some reporting, and more than 150 others were wounded in the massacre.]

🇮🇱⚔️🇵🇸 🚀🏘️💥🚑 🚨

HUNDREDS KILLED OR WOUNDED IN ZIONIST MASSACRES OF PALESTINIAN FAMILIES IN THE GAZA STRIP ON DAY 161

On the 161st day of Israel's ongoing war of genocide against the Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) committed a total of 13 new massacres of Palestinian families, resulting in the deaths of no less than 149 civilians, mostly women and children, with over 300 others wounded over the previous 24-hours.

In a new massacre of starving civilians, Zionist forces once again opened machine gun fire from an Israeli helicopter on hundreds of hungry Palestinians, starving as a result of Israel's continued blockade of the Gaza Strip.

According to local reporting, at least 20 Palestinians were killed in the slaughter, while another 150 civilians were wounded from live bullets fired from a helicopter gunship as the starving crowds attempted to receive food aid from humanitarian trucks arriving at the Al-Kuwaiti roundabout, at the intersection of Street 10 and Salah al-Din Street, in the south of Gaza City, in the northern section of the Gaza Strip.

Additional reporting of the incident by Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (Euro-Med), a Geneva-based human rights organization, said that at least 40 Palestinians were killed and more than 160 were wounded as a result of the Al-Kuwaiti massacre. The human rights organization added that this brings the total number of civilians killed in so-called "flour massacres" to over 500.

Additionally, occupation forces killed another 7 Palestinians in the same area in the early morning hours of Thursday, as the killing continues despite mounting International pressure and displeasure directed at the Zionist entity.

Occupation air forces also bombed a gathering of civilians in the Abraj Al-Mukhabarat area, northwest of Gaza City, killing and wounding a number of Palestinians.

Meanwhile, the slaughter continued when Israeli occupation forces bombed a civilian vehicle in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City, killing at least four civilians and wounding several others.

Another eight civilians were martyred after IOF aircraft bombed the social development center responsible for distributing aid to local citizens in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp, while a previous bombing of the Al-Attar family home in the Al-Bureij Refugee Camp killed another nine people.

Israeli warplanes also launched a series of raids targeting civilian residences in the Al-Shati Refugee Camp in Gaza City, however a dearth of reporting from the area makes it unclear if casualties resulted from the incident.

Similarly, Zionist warplanes bombarded the civilian home of the Al-Madhoun family in the New Camp area of Al-Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of five civilians and wounding a number of others.

Rescue crews with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) also reported the retrieval of 20 dead bodies from the Khan Yunis governate, including ten corpses from Hamad Town, northwest of Khan Yunis, where the Israeli occupation army recently withdrew after destroying nearly every building standing in the city and completely dismantling local infrastructure.

In the southern Gaza Strip, Zionist air forces bombarded the Al-Qadi family home, resulting in the tragic deaths of three family members, including an elderly man, his wife and his son. The bombing was conducted in the Al-Zuhur neighborhood, north of Rafah city.

Just prior to publishing, a new massacre resulting in several casualties was reported when Israeli fighter jets bombed a civilian residence on Technical College Street in the city of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, while the bodies of three dead Palestinians were brought to the Gaza European Hospital in Khan Yunis.

As a result of Israel's ongoing war of genocide, the infinitely rising death toll has now exceeded 31'490 Palestinians martyred, more than 25'000 of which being women and children according to the United States Pentagon, while another 73'439 civilians have been wounded in the constant bombing, shelling, as well as gun, drone and missile fire on civilian locations.

#source1

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#videosource

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[sophia-zofia]

The Geneva-based Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor has unveiled the Israeli army's practice of bringing groups of Israeli civilians to detention centers and prisons used to imprison Palestinian prisoners from Gaza. The purpose is to enable them to witness and document the torture inflicted upon the detainees. Shocking testimonies from recently released Palestinian prisoners revealed that the Israeli army summoned civilians during their interrogation sessions to observe the various forms of torture and inhumane treatment. According to the released prisoners, Israeli soldiers deliberately presented them to Israeli civilians, falsely claiming they were fighters affiliated with Palestinian factions and who allegedly participated in the October 7 attack. The Euro-Mediterranean Monitor clarified that, based on the received testimonies, groups of Israeli civilians, ranging from 10 to 20 individuals, were allowed to witness and record Palestinian prisoners stripped of their clothes while soldiers used metal batons and electric rods to beat them. The prisoners were subjected to pouring hot water on their heads, accompanied by verbal abuse and threats in Arabic.

[uroboros-if]

Fashion in Uroboros

A brief overview of the different styles of fashion within the IF's setting! It was going to be much longer than it is now, since I initially explained the reasoning I chose these... but I'll resist!

Note that the fashion is not aiming to be authentic. In fact, I've highlighted some of the different ways I've attempted to make these extremely different styles take influence from one another, and even modified them to make more sense thematically for the story.

The fashion is merely inspired, not necessarily accurate to the fashion they're inspired from. Realism isn't the goal, but I still want them to be somewhat convincing, and also cool-looking! I'll also add more thoughts towards the end on this note.

༺═──────────────

Southwestern Galaio - Takes inspiration from Rococo fashion, in part because its climate is similar to western Europe (oceanic climate). Extravagant and blindingly opulent, though I envision it as incorporating more naturalistic elements, such as birds and flowers into their design. However, their design also tend to be asymmetrical and large-scaled.

Portrait of Anastasia Ushakova by Ivan Kusjmitsch Makarov; painting by Lucius Rossi; and "The proposition" by Arturo Ricci

Western Galaio - Takes inspiration from Song Dynasty China, as it also has a humid subtropical climate. A time of prosperity as well, but I chose it over the Tang Dynasty because the designs are more simplistic. I wanted this region to be more muted, but still elegant in fashion compared to other regions. Not as flashy, and much less concerned about extravagant wealth. Though it's in Song style, I enlisted the help of an article to help me incorporate some western elements to it, such as lace and fans.

Lexie from Hanfu Story; Bleu from Hanfu Story; and Butterfly Dream from NewMoonDance!

Central Galaio (Part 1) - Humid continental climate. Closer to the southwest, their fashion reflects much of Rococo style as well, but with some modifications (no train for dresses, etc.). This is in reference to Catherine the Great's time, in which Russia had oriented itself towards European fashion (specifically, the Rococo style), but Catherine the Great dictated the fashion to be more Russian and instill national pride.

Catherine the Great by Fedor Rokotov, 1763

Central Galaio (Part 2) - Farther from the southwest and more towards the north, their fashion is much closer to Western Galaio. They still have elements of the southwest, but they have a strong emphasis on functionality and practicality, which the southwest appears to be fundamentally against.

hanfu by 瞳莞汉服 (left and center); photography by 松果sir and model @白川鹅 (right)

Central Galaio (Part 3) - There's a distinct region that is a cold desert. Here is inspired by Mongolian deel. It's thicker and has several layers to withstand the cold, compared to Western Galaio's clothing, which in contrast have lighter fabrics.

13th century Mongolian deel from Mongulai, founded by Telmen Luvsandorj

Eastern Galaio - Also a wealthy coastal region of Galaio. Mediterranean climate. They take inspiration from the extravagance of the southwest, but fashion is looser, free, and light. The colors are also more natural, like white, brown, blue, etc. rather than the entire spectrum of colors that the southwest and west enjoy.

Deities - Inspired by Edo period Japan, another period of flourishing economic growth. The fashion of the deities likely came from the fashion of a past time, rather than a reflection of current human fashion. Western and Central Galaio's clothing look similar to the kosode gods wear, perhaps because these regions are more rooted in tradition compared to Southwestern and Eastern Galaio. The major modification I made for the fashion of deities, however, is making it more unisex and more relaxed.

From Philadelphia Museum of Art; the Mary Griggs Burke Collection; and from asianhistory.tumblr.com

Additional Notes

I had tormented myself a lot over authenticity, but I realized the fashion can remain merely inspired, not directly referenced. I'm not actually trying to make a Walmart version of France or any of these cultures. However, I do hope that the admiration I have for these cultures shine through!

A lot of these come from periods of prosperity, the "golden ages". Galaio is beautiful and prosperous, but it obscures a deep ugliness within.

These may be subject to change, and won't be super prominent in the story itself. They merely gave me a general idea or silhouette of the kind of clothes people may wear. I think the most reference I'll give them within the IF is a general aesthetic of the clothes rather than specific details. Hence why they're merely inspired.

Thanks for reading thus far! :)

[star-studded-whales]

M. Connor- Writeblr Intro

Hello everyone, I'm M. Connor (he/they) and I am a romance and fantasy author. I have an interest in both clean and erotic romance novels and short stories. I have been known to dabble in horror short stories and in poetry. I write a variety of queer centered stories with a multitude of different identities and pairings.

My purpose for being on Writeblr is to share my work in a low pressure environment, and to read and support the work of others. I always respond to friendly DMs and I try to reply to asks in a timely manner. I am not currently posting my WIPs online except for excerpts and teasers.

My other interests include art (specifically printmaking and paper making, though I'm getting into digital art), Stardew Valley, Skyrim, MXTX's works, and writing and playing music (I play a lot of instruments and sing). Sometimes these intersect with my writing, and I will post about them from time to time.

Some boundaries: I will block minors on sight. My work is not for those under eighteen, please don't interact unless you are of age. I also do not take unsolicited constructive criticism, especially on matters of taste.

Here are a couple of my WIPs and completed projects:

Lunar Lagoon: An erotic romance set in the modern Mediterranean. Lyria, a mermaid, and Amelia, the transfem captain of an antique sailing vessel, must navigate a budding relationship formed from mutual pleasure as it blossoms into something meaningful and deep, while avoiding the ire of Lyria’s overprotective father. Love should be smooth sailing… right?

Crossroads: An erotic romance set in the US. Hazel Abernathy is a struggling witch fighting a losing battle against her local HOA and the crumbling infrastructure of the house her mother left to her when she passed. She’s ready to get back out there and on Valentines Day, meets the sweet and charming Aleksander, and the bombastic and enigmatic Lillian. The two of them, powerful demons in their own right, have their own struggles with mysterious spiritual attacks on the nightclub they own.

Wear a Coat: A horror short story set in the Appalachian mountains, where I come from. What happens when you don’t follow your mama’s advice and go looking for berries without a coat? Maybe you’ll just get cold or maybe you’ll attract unwanted attention from something dwelling deep within the forest…

Alder: This story follows Finlay, a dryad who has been set adrift after a series of questionable choices. This WIP is pretty nebulous at the moment, but has my whole heart. It’s rife with gender shenanigans and magic

Ochre: What happens if a crow is suddenly given a human form by the Morrigan? Let’s find out! Again, another baby WIP in early stages.

[arlechinav-blog]

Mediterranean Trancework Part II: Spirit Possession

(Pictured: A human/ scorpion hybrid statue. Scorpions are one of the traditional vectors of possession in the Med.)

Bodiless spirits inflame mortal minds. They enter through the openings of the body--the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and parts further south (depending on the type of spirit and the tradition). They can also be introduced through the pinch (bite or sting) of a snake, spider, wasp, horsefly, or scorpion. These are what I refer to as the vectors of possession. Once a spirit does this, the possessed will fall sick. Not just any sickness either, this is possession illness and it behaves in a very specific way. Possession illness occurs because human bodies are not fully compatible with the spiritworld for long periods of time. Being closely involved with the spiritworld for an extended amount of time will 100% make a mortal sick.

Heroes and embodied heroes can get away with it due to the power of the ritual they participate in and that's really the key here. Without ritual structures to keep things functioning correctly, humans will get spirit sickness. With those rituals, humans do just fine. This is part of what religion and these types of rituals are specifically for. The opening of Hippocrates' De Morbo Sacro gets right at the heart of how common this was in antiquity and how it was exploited.

In ethical hands, most spirit possession rituals are geared towards bringing the mortal and possessing spirit into harmony with each other. This relationship places the mortal under the spirit and forever after the spirit is said to be above them, over their head. This relationship is permanent and it is one of the underlying reasons why Christianity took off in the Med as this relationship can be exhausting to a mortal's time and finances and it has been exploited by spirit masters at various points in history. (Spirit Masters are basically lay people outside of an official priestly hierarchy who have an affinity for compelling spirits, usually through music and experience.)

Christianity (and a few other 1st century cults centered around other miracle-worker/magi like Apollonius of Tyana) introduced the concept of exorcism where before there were only rituals of propitiation. They promised to cure the possessed permanently of their spiritual afflictions. And this is why polytheists were linked to what would later be called demon worship. It was because the standard ritual for this situation was geared towards making peace with malicious (or at least naughty) spirits.

There is just one problem with that. It doesn't effing work that way. Exorcism is a myth. Like the rituals exist and people do it and it is perfectly valid to believe in it and participate in it but be aware that the success rates are just abysmal. Remission is absurdly high. It doesn't matter what methods you use either. Ancient peoples understood this and they crafted their rituals to account for what is needed to keep a person functional and supported in society because there is nothing wrong with being different. Spirit possession is not rare by any means. Nobody is special for it. It just means there are some rituals to participate in to make sure that you get what you need to live a full life.

Think of wicked daemones as the embodiment of intrusive thoughts and compulsions. These things can be managed but they will always be a part of you. Possession rituals are ancient hypnotherapy and believe me, I am deeply amused by the revival of clinical hypnosis as they basically reinvent the wheel in a secular and socially acceptable way. They are doing the same darn thing without all the fun parts.

Part of why spirit possession and propitiation rituals work so well is because they provide community support. They make the people involved feel loved, valued, and supported. Without that community support, you would have to carry all of your healing by yourself and that can lead to feeling inadequate if you are unable to make the desired changes on your own. These rituals show that you are not alone. There is a whole community of people dealing with these things and they are not caused by some personal failing. Just like when dealing with alcoholism or other forms of addiction, the key is in externalizing the problem and responding to it as if it was separate from yourself. Recognize these compulsions as coming from somewhere else and you can isolate them and quiet them when they rise up. They will never be gone but they can be made more manageable. And you actually get to physically do something with your body. It can be very empowering.

In spirit possession traditions each spirit is called to dance by their own "thread" (spirit chant). This is the legomena aspect of the ritual. The spirit will remain completely dormant in the body of the possessed until it hears its unique rhythm and thread. Only then will it rise up and cause the Bride to dance. These rituals began under the cults of the Mountain Mothers, they then passed to the Weather/Blacksmithing cults, and finally to the cults of Dionysos. And of those three categories, there were and still are regional variations for each one. So, there is a lot out there to explore as far as ritual structure goes.

The basic format of the ritual works like this...

First a potential Bride must go to a doctor to see if what they are experiencing has a physiological cause and treatment. Preferably more than one in pursuit of a cure or solution. If all of that fails, the afflicted will then move onto seeking help from a mental health professional. If that fails to yield the desired results, the next step would be to seek out assistance from your local official spiritual authority (a priest or someone with official knowledge and skills in your religion). If that person fails as well, through a process of elimination it then falls to a Spirit Master--but only if you want to go that route. All of this has to be voluntary. If you don't want to do this then you don't do this. It is that simple. Nobody can be forced to participate in these types of rituals, nor should anyone feel pressured to do so.

That whole process is part of establishing the proof of state. If nobody else can help you then it is more likely that the root cause of the problem is related to naughty spirits.

Once that is established then you can participate in a ritual to identify who the spirit hanging over you is and from there the spirit master will determine what they want. This is a highly interactive process. Different traditions will accomplish this in slightly different ways. The large group rituals will basically have a set list of spirit threads that they will perform in order and all those who are Brides will respond to the song of their spirit in that order. If the ritual is more one on one then the Spirit Master will play different threads to see what the potential Bride responds to. This can get tricky because some spirits lie--but they do so in a very predictable set of ways. If the spirit fails to respond in the right way, the Spirit Master may send the potential Bride to a different Spirit House as known spirits are very set in their ways and do not deviate from the expected Dromena.

This means you will have a harder time if these concepts are foreign to you. This is an interaction with cultural coding so you can't just make up whatever you want or do random things and call it spiritwork. You can certainly feel divinely inspired to craft rules for your own spirit house but be aware that to some extent this stuff is both physiological and psychological and there is a spectrum of ways in which it is functional. So, if you step too far outside of that spectrum, it may not work the way you want it to. This is an ideological technology. It may be rooted in beliefs but it is not completely carried by them, part of this is just rooted in how our brains and bodies work.

Spiritwork/ spirit possession is really neat stuff but you have got to know what you are doing inside and out to pull it off (as a Spirit Master).

In addition to the legomena of the spirit threads (chants), there are also certain sounds that call spirits and induce reactions. These sounds are technically deiknumena. They represent the hypnotic suggestion of "when you hear this, you will do X Dromena response." This works in concert with colors, incense (smell is the most spiritual of the senses), regalia, tools, etc. When the spirit has been identified, the Bride will receive all of the desired trappings of that spirit. Their clothes, their tools, their scents, their hairstyles and jewelry (if any), and especially their foods and drinks. When the Bride takes all of these things together and dances with them to their spirit's thread, they embody their spirit and this brings unity between them. That unity manifests as dromena.

The desired Dromena are based in cultural expectation. Dromena are behaviors. As a quick example, let's say that we are performing a ritual together and you are entranced and I am performing the role of spirit master, wrangler of Brides. We are doing everything in the expected way, nice and formal. You are possessed by a spirit that absolutely loves the color pink and is known to have childlike behaviors. While you are dancing in a fully entranced state and fully embodying your possessing spirit, I drop a pink scarf over your head. The dromena would be how you respond to that.

Cultural expectation dictates that your spirit will behave like a child and that your spirit will be absolutely enthralled with anything pink. So, by giving you something pink to play with while entranced, the expected dromena will be somewhere in the realm of giddy kid with their most favorite thing ever. Anything that fits that description and falls within the rules we have established for this ritual is fair game. Go wild. This means that there are many right ways to do it. There isn't any one single thing that I am expecting to see but if you take that pink scarf and angrily shred it to pieces, that is NOT the expected dromena and that is wrong. So technically there is a right and a wrong way to express dromena but it is more of a spectrum than a bullseye.

Now let us imagine that you are embodying that same spirit and we are doing some kind of public ritual processional and you see someone in the crowd wearing pink. Dromena dictates that you will probably run up to that person and play with the pink whatever. That is expected. But if there are ritual constraints placed upon you, such as bells, that would prevent that spirit from going past a certain point, that dromena overpowers and overrides the desire to touch the pink thing. Your spirit may fixate, they may stomp like a little kid not getting their way, but they will not cross that bell ringing boundary. Because spirits have very strict rules that they have to follow while inhabiting the bodies of mortals.

This is why ritual formality is a big deal. It keeps everybody safe.

Without the full ritual featuring all the right rhythms, words, scents, colors, regalia, and tools, this stuff just doesn't function properly. All of it works together.

Read more in Part III: Prophecy

[catdotjpeg]

The death toll from Israel’s bombing of the Tabi’in school in the Daraj neighborhood in Gaza City surpassed 100 victims according to the Palestinian health ministry. The bombing targeted two floors in the school, one of which was being used as a mosque, where civilians were holding the dawn (Fajr) prayer at the moment of the strike. The Palestinian Civil Defense said that Israeli bombs killed and maimed everyone who was present on the mosque floor, describing the massacre as “beyond imagination” and comparable to the massacre at the Al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza City in December of last year, which killed 500 Palestinians. The Civil Defense said that families continued to search for the remains of their loved ones among the ruins of the school for hours after the strike, while testimonies of survivors indicated that the remains of the victims were so unrecognizable that families were given bags at random containing unidentified body pieces for burial, counting every 70 kilos as a person.

Meanwhile, the Geneva-based human rights watchdog, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, said that its primary investigation shows that the school didn’t have any military presence of Palestinian fighters, contrary to Israeli claims. For its part, the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Palestine, Francesca Albanese, said there was no evidence of Israeli claims that Palestinian fighters were present at the school, remarking that no civilized country can tolerate the ongoing Israeli genocide. The chief of European diplomacy, Joseph Borrell, said on X that he was “horrified” by the bombing of the Tabi’in school, adding that “there is no justification for these massacres.”

Israel has been targeting shelter centers, especially schools in Gaza, in the past weeks. On Thursday, Israel bombed two schools in Gaza City, killing at least 15 Palestinians.

-- "‘Operation al-Aqsa Flood’ Day 311: International condemnations of Israel’s massacre at Gaza school as pressure grows on Netanyahu to reach ceasefire deal" by Qassam Muaddi for Mondoweiss, 12 Aug 2024

[houseofpurplestars]

The Geneva-based Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor has unveiled the Israeli army's practice of bringing groups of Israeli civilians to detention centers and prisons used to imprison Palestinian prisoners from Gaza.

The purpose is to enable them to witness and document the torture inflicted upon the detainees. Shocking testimonies from recently released Palestinian prisoners revealed that the Israeli army summoned civilians during their interrogation sessions to observe the various forms of torture and inhumane treatment.

According to the released prisoners, Israeli soldiers deliberately presented them to Israeli civilians, falsely claiming they were fighters affiliated with Palestinian factions and who allegedly participated in the October 7 attack.

The Euro-Mediterranean Monitor clarified that, based on the received testimonies, groups of Israeli civilians, ranging from 10 to 20 individuals, were allowed to witness and record Palestinian prisoners stripped of their clothes while soldiers used metal batons and electric rods to beat them.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

[ Source: Islamic Fatwa Council | PDF ]

FATWA | Palestinian Human Rights in Gaza March 9, 2023 The Islamic Fatwa Council (IFC) deems the recently publicized audio and video material containing testimonies of Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip to be both alarming and concerning. It is the responsibility of the Islamic Seminaries to take a clear and firm stance in light of the inhumane actions of Hamas. Based on the requests of countless believers, The Islamic Fatwa Council has reviewed extensive documentation of Hamas behavior towards Palestinians in Gaza, including their recently publicized testimonies. Our findings - which are also displayed in our jurisprudential reasoning - result in our ruling that: A) Hamas bears responsibility for its own reign of corruption and terror against Palestinian civilians within Gaza; B) It is prohibited to pray for, join, support, finance, or fight on behalf of Hamas - an entity that adheres to the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood movement. Furthermore, The Islamic Fatwa Council joins The UAE Fatwa Council and the Council of Senior Scholars of Saudi Arabia in declaring the Muslim Brotherhood movement and all of its branches as terrorist organizations that defame Islam and operate in opposition to mainstream Islamic unity, theology and jurisprudence.

--

Published: Mar 13, 2023

A major Islamic organization has issued a legal ruling against the Gaza-based terrorist group Hamas, saying that its treatment of the millions of Palestinians under its rule goes against the religion.

The Iraqi-based Islamic Fatwa Council issued the fatwa, or legal opinion, last Thursday. The non-governmental body of Sunni, Shi’ite and Sufi clerics said that the fatwa was issued in response to testimonies from Gaza residents published last month in a series of video clips by the U.S.-based Center for Peace Communications.

In the video series, titled “Whispered in Gaza,” Palestinians (whose identities are protected) are shown blaming not neighboring Israel for their plight, but their autocratic rulers Hamas, who have been in power in the Strip since 2007 following a violent takeover.

The Center for Peace Communications says that it “works through media, schools, and centers of spiritual and moral leadership in the Middle East and North Africa to roll back divisive ideologies and foster a mindset of inclusion and engagement.”

Hamas is charged by the Islamic Fatwa Council with violating the laws of the Koran and the prophet Mohammad for its “reign of corruption and terror against Palestinian citizens within Gaza,” more than 2 million of whom are crammed into an area of some 141 square miles surrounded by Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.

“It is prohibited to pray for, join, support, finance, or fight on behalf of Hamas—an entity that adheres to the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood movement,” the fatwa continues. The Islamic Fatwa Council also said that it joins the UAE Fatwa Council and the Council of Senior Scholars of Saudi Arabia in “declaring the Muslim Brotherhood and all of its branches as terrorist organizations that defame Islam and operate in opposition to mainstream Islamic unity, theology and jurisprudence.”

While the ruling is non-binding, the Islamic Fatwa Council is considered to be highly influential in the Muslim world as this is the first fatwa against Hamas from an Islamic legislative body.

--

Published: Mar 13, 2023

The Islamic Fatwa Council — a non-governmental clerical body headquartered in Najaf, Iraq — issued a fatwa, or religious edict, last week condemning Hamas’ repression of Palestinians in Gaza and calling on the terrorist group to make peace with Israel. The council stated that Hamas was responsible for racketeering, extortion, the use of child soldiers, and falsely accusing Palestinians of treason. The fatwa dictates that Muslims should not “pray for, support, finance or fight on behalf of Hamas.” An animated series of videos released in January detailing harsh living conditions in Gaza under Hamas rule — produced by the U.S.-based Center for Peace Communications and titled “Whispered in Gaza” — spurred the religious ruling.

The Islamic Fatwa Council is a judicial body that specializes in Islamic law, represents both Sunnis and Shiites, and is chaired by Grand Ayatollah Shaikh Fadhil al-Budairi. Among several key mission objectives, the council says it strives to “reclaim the Islamic legal system from extremists, Islamists, and supporters of terrorism.” The fatwa is the first against Hamas by an accredited Islamic legal body.

Expert Analysis

“Since its brutal takeover of the Gaza Strip, Hamas has trained child soldiers, jailed activists who dare expose its corrupt authority, and stolen aid money to fund its military activities. The fatwa is welcome news, as it demonstrates increasing recognition among some Muslims in the region that Hamas’ extremism and repression are key drivers of Palestinian conflict with Israel.” — Joe Truzman, Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

A Call to Respond

“Our faith, in its wisdom, enjoins us to be an enemy to the oppressor and an aid to the oppressed,” said Muhammed Ali al-Maqdisi, the council’s spokesperson. “That is why the fatwa was issued against Hamas.”

Noting the public outcry after the release of “Whispered in Gaza,” al-Maqdisi added, “Nearly everyone who follows Palestinian affairs saw these videos in which numerous inhabitants of Gaza — men, women, and children — described what they had been subjected to by Hamas’ corruption. They testified before the world to the many forms of extortion and intimidation they have suffered.”

A History of Human Rights Abuses

Hamas has a long record of repression. In a report on human rights practices in Gaza in 2021, the U.S. State Department notes that Hamas’ human rights abuses include, among others, “credible reports of unlawful or arbitrary killings by Hamas personnel; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by Hamas personnel; unjust detention; political prisoners or detainees; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; [and] arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; serious restrictions on free expression and media, including violence, threats of violence, unjustified arrests and prosecutions against journalists, censorship, and the existence of criminal libel and slander laws.”

In one prominent case, on November 1, 2021, Hamas arrested peace activist Rami Aman for holding a Zoom call with Israelis. The terrorist group criticized Aman for “holding a normalization activity,” a charge Hamas official Iyad al-Bozom described as a crime.

==

Even the Islamic Fatwa Council repudiates Hamas for human rights violations. While western college students do not.

Think about that. One of the most Islamic organizations says Hamas' actions in Gaza are "inhumane," while idiots from US colleges with degrees in "Studies" cheer them on.