AfriWatch Global

Burned Qurans, Torched Mosques: Inside Iran's Contested Narrative Battle Amid Its Deadliest Crackdown By Efehe-Abasi Asanga, Publisher, AfriWatch As Iran endured its most violent internal unrest in decades in January 2026, a striking and disputed story emerged from the chaos: state media began circulating images of burned mosques and charred copies of the Quran, blaming protesters for what it called attacks on Islam itself. The images have since traveled far beyond Iran, reshaping how the uprising is understood in some parts of the Muslim world — and raising hard questions about who actually set the fires, and why. What state media showed Iranian state broadcaster IRIB and other official outlets widely circulated footage of damaged mosques and burned Qurans, framing the destruction as evidence that anti-government demonstrators were "terrorists" attacking sacred sites, according to reporting by Iran International. Tehran's mayor, Alireza Zakani, said more than 61 mosq...

 Kano Bans Mobile Movie Downloads: A Policy Caught Between Faith, Law, and Livelihood By Efehe-Abasi Asanga, Publisher, AfriWatch The Kano State Hisbah Board has outlawed the mobile movie downloading business — the roadside and market-stall trade where operators load films and video content onto customers' phones — across all 44 local government areas of the state. Acting Commander General Mujahid Aminuddeen announced the ban this week, saying investigations found the trade was being used to circulate content that contradicts Islamic teachings, local culture and moral standards, including pornographic material. Enforcement will run through routine Hisbah patrols, with violators facing prosecution under Kano State law. Affected operators have been urged to find alternative lawful work. On the surface, this is a familiar Hisbah story: another restriction issued in the name of public morality. But the ban deserves a closer look than a reflexive "backward" or "progressiv...