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Iran Cracks Down on Bloggers

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the not-too-distant-future dept.

Wired News is reporting that dozens of Iranian Bloggers have been met with harassment by the government and some have even been arrested for voicing dissenting views in recent history. The article takes a look at some of the bloggers who are fighting for their rights and how. From the article: "The Iranian blogging community, known as Weblogistan, is relatively new. It sprang to life in 2001 after hard-liners -- fighting back against a reformist president -- shut down more than 100 newspapers and magazines, and detained writers. At the time, Derakhshan posted instructions on the internet in Farsi on how to set up a weblog."

42 of 261 comments (clear)

  1. Democracy and fascism. by sammeal · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Iran is an example of how democracy and fascism are often compatible.

    1. Re:Democracy and fascism. by Yvanhoe · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Democracy ? Where ?
      Opposants arrested before the election, partisan commitee invalidating many opposants candidature, a "Supreme guide" able to veto or force a law...
      Elections does not imply democracy.

      --
      The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
    2. Re:Democracy and fascism. by vertinox · · Score: 2, Informative

      Elections does not imply democracy.

      Nor does democracy imply elections.

      Sometimes you need constitutional safeguards to prevent the majority from voting away their freedoms. Kind of like how it is illegal in Germany to hold referendums of government policy to a national vote or how the electoral college system was supposed to work in early America.

      And then you can have the extreme possibility where a dictator actually enforces freedom, rights, and equality to an extreme, but seeing that has never happened in the history of mankind due to the bad nature of men in power... Representative republics seem to be the best answer to our political problems.

      --
      "I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
      -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
  2. Re:Nigger, nigger, nigger by liliafan · · Score: 2, Funny
    Nigger


    I for one would like to welcome our 2 year old audience, it is nice that children are taking an interesting in day to day events, even if they do have potty mouth!
    --
    GeekServ Unix Consulting Services (http://www.geekserv.com)
  3. The cynic says... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The cynic in me says that this story is a careful plant by the Bush Administration to get the Internets to support the upcoming invasion of Iran. Not, you understand, that this makes the story any less deserving of outrage--but you have to wonder about the timing.

    1. Re:The cynic says... by halivar · · Score: 5, Funny

      The cynic in me says that this story is a careful plant by the Bush Administration

      Yes, because Slashdot is a proven shill for the administration. CmdrTaco is Bush Minister of Propoganda. I swear, sometimes I wonder how you people find your pants in the morning without help. Take off the tinfoil hat, it's out of season.

  4. Nice one. by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Has anyone started up an adopt-an-Iranian-blog project, like the one that was done for the Chinese?

    --
    Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
  5. Ah, so this is the... by Money+for+Nothin' · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...free and tolerant Islamic society we hear so much about!

    (All religions are intolerant of each other, because each religion defines a mutually-exclusive lock on a God they believe exists (or in atheism's case, doesn't exist). Each religion fights over that lock, and therein lies the religious conflict. And all this fighting assumes their God -- or any god -- actually even exists; over 2000 years of non-proval of a god's existence sure paves the way towards a high probability that he/she/it does not.)

    --

    Is Capitalism Good for the Poor?
  6. Boing Boing guide to evading censorware. by Whiney+Mac+Fanboy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Boingboing has a guide to evading cesonsorware

    Should be useful to Iranians, as the US firm Secure Computing is the company censoring Iran.

    --
    There are shills on slashdot. Apparently, I'm one of them.
  7. Re:That's NOTHING compared to Norway by Valdrax · · Score: 5, Funny

    I got my mail stolen, I am attacked using microwave weapons, psycotronic weapons and other advanced weapons and after 3 months of "Secret" police torture the army joined in and I am now also attacked regularly by directed energy weapons on aircraft.

    So, what are the other effects of these energy and "psycotronic" weapons other than hallucinations and paranoia?

    I hear that the private sector sells medicines that can render the body immune to such weaponry. You should look up SSRIs sometime.

    --
    If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").
  8. Islamic state != freedom of speech by pugdk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "The article takes a look at some of the bloggers who are fighting for their rights and how."

    Now, what exactly are those rights? I believe the only right you have in a state which is currently under the rule of Sharia ("Islamic law") is the right to remain *OBEDIENT* at all times.

    This whole blogging business doesn't seem very obedient to me... so exactly what rights are they fighting for? A change of religion? :D

    -pug

  9. Relativism by amightywind · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Relativism doesn't cut it here. John Paul II and Benedict have been very concilliatory to Jews. Compare that to Islam! Islam's relationship with other faiths is absolutely abysmal.

    --
    an ill wind that blows no good
    1. Re:Relativism by Ravenscall · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Compare that to Islam! Islam's relationship with other faiths is absolutely abysmal.

      Aye, just like the 5000+ member Christian church up the street from me that says gays should be executed and all other religions are Satan's tools to mislead people from the One True Faith. Except Jews, they are all just going to hell for killing Jesus.

      --
      You say you want a revolution....
    2. Re:Relativism by LukeWink · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hey, muslims may be seen as intollerant, but at least they don't go around killing people who convert from Islam to another religion. Now that would be intollerant!

    3. Re:Relativism by tpgp · · Score: 2

      Relativism doesn't cut it here. John Paul II and Benedict have been very concilliatory to Jews. Compare that to Islam! Islam's relationship with other faiths is absolutely abysmal.

      Using a single example doesn't cut it here.

      Pat Robertson: Muslims are "Satanic" and inspired by "demoinic power"

      Jerry Falwell: Mohammed is a terrorist

      Frank Graham: Islam is "a Very Evil and Wicked Religion"

      Rabbi Yosef: You must send missiles to them and annihilate them [about Arabs]

      I don't believe Islam is a 'religion of peace' - it's a religion, and like all religions, its a 'religion of manipulating the masses.' If you believe your religion to be "better" then islam, you're deluded.

      --
      My pics.
    4. Re:Relativism by amightywind · · Score: 2

      Hey, muslims may be seen as intollerant, but at least they don't go around killing people who convert from Islam to another religion. Now that would be intollerant!

      Well, at least when no one is looking.

      --
      an ill wind that blows no good
  10. Tor by the_brobdingnagian · · Score: 2, Informative

    These people would be helped by a project like Tor. http://tor.eff.org/

  11. Message to the Struggling Iranians by Bob+Cat+-+NYMPHS · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You guys are going to have to start killing those mullahs running things there. I recommend you start texting each other to get flash mobs at all the major TV and radio staions, and another huge mob wherever those mullahs meet. Rush the mullahs and stone them. You know it has to be done if things are going to change.

    Good luck. If you succeed, the French will finish up that nuclear power plant. Count on it.

    --
    The latest Slashdot meme.
  12. Re:Nigger, nigger, nigger by elrous0 · · Score: 3, Insightful
    I think he was making the not-so-subtle point that every country and every political persuasion favors censorship of some form of free speech. As a social libertarian myself, I would also like to say:

    FIRE!!!!

    -Eric

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  13. Iran and stalinism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting
    You are referring to Iran's brief brush with Stalinism, when the "one man, one vote, one election" dictator Muhammad Mussadegh sought to make Iran's oil wealth his personal property (or perhaps it should be said Moscow's personal property!) as he was following the model of his masters in Moscow.

    While the Shah and the US had some agreement (such as the idea that keeping left-wing fascism (i.e. socialism) and Islamic fascism out of Iran was a good idea), he wasn't the US's puppet. He tended to jerk the US around more than the US jerked his strings. Regardless, a very large and growing number of Iranians remember his rule as being very enlightened compared to the Islamic fascism which eventually took over.

    1. Re:Iran and stalinism by replicant108 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You are referring to Iran's brief brush with Stalinism, when the "one man, one vote, one election" dictator Muhammad Mussadegh sought to make Iran's oil wealth his personal property

      Despite your ludicrous slur, it remains a fact that Mossadegh was a democratically elected leader and that the Iranian parliament voted to nationalize Iran's oil industry.

      While the Shah and the US had some agreement [...] he wasn't the US's puppet. He tended to jerk the US around more than the US jerked his strings.

      Not a good puppet perhaps, but a puppet nonetheless.

      It is amusing that you call the democratically elected Mossadegh a 'dictator', and describe the US-installed despot as 'very enlightened'.

    2. Re:Iran and stalinism by Shimbo · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Both were dictators. Getting democratically elected once does not change it.

      If Mossadegh was a dictator, he wasn't a very good one, as he didn't even manage to serve one full term in office.

  14. You're not even trying! by Mr.+Underbridge · · Score: 2
    Sadly there will always be governments looking to restrict the speech of its people, I wonder how long it will take for google to move in an support those efforts?

    You win today's "Baseless speculation" jackpot on slashdot! Your prize is a used Ouija board. You may also receive a job offer from Macrumors, they need help coming up with that sort of speculation. You need to learn how to speculate authoritatively though, and cite mysterious sources.

    Try it this way:

    "According to sources inside Google, the company who censored China will sell personal information of dissident bloggers to the Iranian government. The public announcement will come Monday once the dissidents have been rounded up and shot. Terms of the transaction haven't been settled, but it's been rumored that Google will be paid in oil and kebobs.

    See, it's much better when you do it that way!

  15. I Have 100 Times More Respect for Iranian Bloggers by aquatone282 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    . . . who are persecuted by their totalitarian government for exercising their natural rights than for the false bravado and excessive hubris of our own "dissidents."

    --
    What?
  16. Iran is a theocracy by Shivetya · · Score: 4, Interesting

    that masquerades as a democracy. Democracy and Fascism are not compatible. One requires much personal freedom and choice and the other requires turning over control of much of society to the government and its leaders. Now a theocracy and fascism can be very compatible as both can revolve around a very strong and charismatic leader.

    Iran calls itself a democracy but its obviously not. Yes the people get to vote on leaders but who can run isn't exactly open to public choice. Where is the democracy when the people you can choose to vote for are no one you would choose? Iran, as many countries of this type (dictatorships, theorcracies, etc) love to represent themselves to the world in terms that boast about freedom while at the same time providing none of it to their citizens.

    Look at it this way, if you have to put the label in your name your probably not adhereing to that label's intent. A long time ago those lables meant something but today they are just words on paper (example : Islamic Republic of Iran )

    --
    * Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.
    1. Re:Iran is a theocracy by BakaHoushi · · Score: 5, Insightful

      To be fair, here in the U.S. is the choice of who runs for high offices really open to much choice? Democrat or Republican, many felt that both choices were awful (and I intend to agree). Pretty much the same can be said of any third party candidate, too. As South Park has explained so well, pretty much every election in history has been about choosing between a douche and a turd, when in reality you wouldn't likely ever choose either one.

      There is a key difference, though, that I will openly admit. Voting for a U.S. president (or senator, or representative, etc.) is basically choosing which jark will try to screw you and censor you. In these elections, such as Iran's, IMHO, it's essentially about choosing who's going to try and kill who and censor you. (A bit of a generalization, I'll admit)

    2. Re:Iran is a theocracy by cfulmer · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Pfft. "Many" believe in UFOs. "Many" people are in jail. "Many" believe what they see on TV. "Many" called the Coast Guard to tell them about this ship called the Minnow that was wrecked somewhere in the South Pacific.

      Most people can come up with an alternative who they would prefer to their Congressman, Senator or President. But, most people would not agree with that alternative. And, even fewer people would agree once they found out about the alternative and his/her beliefs.

      There are very, very few politicians who are very well regarded by a majority of the population. In an election between a candidate who is extremely well-liked by a minority and one who is only marginally well-liked by a majority, the latter candidate will win.

    3. Re:Iran is a theocracy by danpsmith · · Score: 2, Insightful
      To be fair, here in the U.S. is the choice of who runs for high offices really open to much choice? Democrat or Republican, many felt that both choices were awful (and I intend to agree). Pretty much the same can be said of any third party candidate, too. As South Park has explained so well, pretty much every election in history has been about choosing between a douche and a turd, when in reality you wouldn't likely ever choose either one.

      what south park leaves out is that there are other parties, or there would be if people would support their induction. I'm so tired of hearing this spout of non-sense that I believe actually partially originates in the media. Which is: yeah both parties suck but what are you going to do vote 3rd party, what a waste of a vote, wouldn't you rather have this guy, he's kind of what you are looking for even if he is the lesser of two evils. We are the ones voting, I say be the change you want to see in the world and vote for whatever party you want today and stop pretending like the two-party system is in our constitution or something.

      --
      Judges and senates have been bought for gold; Esteem and love were never to be sold.
    4. Re:Iran is a theocracy by vertinox · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Democracy and Fascism are not compatible.

      To be fair.... Hitler was legally elected into power before he assumed control of the government.

      Secondly, the annexation of Austria and Sudetanland was actually held to a German referendum (hence why referendum's are illegal in Germany these days).

      So yeah... Democracy and Fascism can tie into each other and elections can be used to create fascist states and take away freedoms.

      It is the reason why the founding fathers of the United States created the electoral college, bill of rights, and checks and ballances in the Federal government (Executive brance vetoes over the congress vs their 2/3rds over ride powers etc)

      They were quite aware of the fact that sometimes people will willingly vote away their freedoms to those in power or those who were elected might usurp the democratic process. The best solution was to limit powers of elected officials or find ways to balance them out.

      --
      "I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
      -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
    5. Re:Iran is a theocracy by elGrippe · · Score: 2, Informative

      Hitler was democratically elected. People gave up their power to him afterward. Here in the US, it is possible to be part of the political machine of any party. It rarely happens but some back woods schmo can become president.

      As for the two party system, we seem to like it that way. We like either/or scenarios. But third parties can come to power. They always have. They just need to be popular enough. We started out almost a one party system, Federalists, but quickly the Democratic-Republicans arose to opose. Then came the Whigs and the Federalists faded away, then came the Republicans and the Whigs faded away. It's been Democrats and Republicans ever since, though there have been third parties, mostly built on a personality - Bull Moose, Reform Pary. There are a lot of 3rd parties now that have limited support. The Green Party gets most votes for pres due to personality, the Libertarian party has most candidates in office for actually party/platform support. Maybe one of these, or another will rise, the question is, which one will fade away? The Democrats used to be the Democratic-Republicans maybe those two parties should stop the charade and just adopt the old name.

  17. you can check out these by asad · · Score: 4, Informative

    Obligatory list of persian blogs
    Wiki article

    A few that I personally like.

    Political blogs:
    Brooding Persian
    Iranian Truth
    Eyeranian

    Funny
    Shirin
    Negar
    Lost in Texas
    Ok fine this is mine sometimes I think I am funny

    And a note on the numbers, I have no clue how they came up with that but I have a hard time believing any of it. Blogsbyiranians list any blog that Hossein comes across and it has a list of 100-200. My personal opinion is that there are about 5000 active persian blogs. Oh and cause I know someone will ask for it. some iranian porn

    --
    Vidi, vici, veni. (I saw, I conquered, I came)
  18. Some BLOGS regarding Islam by Zdzicho00 · · Score: 3, Informative
    Some links to explore:

    Faith Freedom site of Ali Sina
    TheReligionOfPeace
    EuroJihad (in polish)
    Cox & Forkum (funny drawings)
    JihadWatch
    PravdaOIslamu (in czech)
    Saudi blogger
    Egyptian blogger
    Hizb-ut-Tahrir Islamic site

    /Z
  19. Anne Frank and Freedom of Speech by ehiris · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I just went to the Anne Frank museum in Amsterdam and the strongest things that stood out are:

    - The first freedom to go for anyone before total authoritarian dictatorship is the freedom of speech.
    - Repressing government are usually very very afraid of the spoken word.
    - Anne Frank's diary and history is one of the strongest evidences of the Nazi oppression and attempt to bring certain races to extinction.

    Look at the Mohamed drawings issue. The extremists didn't really care about depictions of Mohamed. What their problem with those depictions is, is the freedom of speech. They are afraid they'll no longer be able to brainwash free people into stupid theocratic thinking. They are afraid that they will no longer be able to engage humans into blowing themselves up in order to fulfill a focus group god'$ prophecies.

    Makes me puke that we don't even want to keep the freedom of speech around in the US but it makes sense why it had to be legislated. Everyone who tries to control someone will attempt to take that freedom of speech away.

  20. The Mohammad Cartoons were a distraction by ianscot · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Look at the Mohamed drawings issue. The extremists didn't really care about depictions of Mohamed. What their problem with those depictions is, is the freedom of speech. They are afraid they'll no longer be able to brainwash free people into stupid theocratic thinking. They are afraid that they will no longer be able to engage humans into blowing themselves up in order to fulfill a focus group god'$ prophecies.

    Leaders across the authoritarian states of the M.E. use "issues" like those drawings as a way to vent the frustration of their own people toward "the west." They manipulate whatever-it-is as a sort of social "wedge issue" to keep people angry at someone else. That's what the cartoons thing was about.

    Think Gay Marriage. Gay Marriage is something we should deal with, okay -- I'm for it, basically -- but is it among the biggest challenges for our society when compared to economic, environmental, foreign, and every other kind of policy in this country being run with only the enormous multinational business interests at the table and nobody from any other perspective having a voice? The monied interests behind the old Republican party discovered after the civil rights movement that they could patch together a coalition of fearful social conservatives and keep those fears yoked up to the party's economic interests. When the rank and file get upset, lo and behold, there will always be a distracting social "issue" to motivate them again. (Janet Jackson's bustier popped open -- OMG! OMG! Society is breaking down! Election cycle -- Oh No! Pass a bunch of anti-Gay-Marriage amendments, it's a crisis!)

    It's all about preserving authority, not about the specific faiths involved. Authoritarian religion turns to demagoguery like this to release pressure.

    --
    "Fundamentalism" isn't about divine morality. It's about human authority.
    1. Re:The Mohammad Cartoons were a distraction by ehiris · · Score: 2, Informative

      I agree with you 100% but at the same time I have to stand by my believe that by attacking freedom of speech is the only way for oppressors to retain control. I live in Communist Romania until 1989 and a moved to the US in 1997. I experience oppression first hand. Anne Frank reminded me at the isolation that the communist dictators put my family and me in. Anne Frank basically kept a blog that wasn't allowed to be seen to anyone else so that her family can stay away from the Nazi harm.

    2. Re:The Mohammad Cartoons were a distraction by deesine · · Score: 2, Insightful
      It's all about preserving authority, not about the specific faiths involved.

      Sounds reasonable. But...

      1) Iran is a modified theocracy - Islam is a major player. The president shares power with the head cleric.

      2) The Koran, unlike modern interpretations of the Bible, mandates conversion through various mechanisms. And punishes those leaving the fold.

      Islam is part of the problem. Is there a country with such high levels of "pressure" where the state sponsored religion isn't Islam?

      --
      damaged by dogma
  21. What do you expect of a place that ... by deacon · · Score: 4, Interesting
    What do you expect of a place that hangs rape victims?

    http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&as_qdr=all& q=iran+hang+girl&btnG=Search

    Does anyone expect they are concerned about any other human rights?

    Sheesh people, wake up and smell the Sharia.

  22. And this is suprising because ... by Horatio_Hellpop · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ... why? Iran's entire "government" is based on radical Islam -- meaning, "kill everyone who doesn't believe in Allah." Not sure why this is news. This is how it is, and how it ever will be, with most Muslim countries.

    --
    Frammin' on the jim-jam, frippin' at the krotz!
    1. Re:And this is suprising because ... by alphafoo · · Score: 3, Insightful

      What is surprising is that someone modded your demonstrably untrue comment up. What would be surprising to me is if you have ever actually been to a predominantly Muslim country, or sat down with a Muslim for a meal.

      First, Christians and Jews all believe in Allah, just like Muslims do. Arab Christians actually do not speak American English when they pray. They speak Arabic, and so they say Allah where someone else might say God.

      There are over a billion Muslims on this planet, and I would argue that only a mondest fraction of them want to chop your head off. These billion or so people inhabit large populated countries like Indonesia, and Turkey, where non-Muslims can often be spotted with their heads attached to their shoulders. Even repressive regimes like Syria allow folks to worship Jesus. Sometimes you'll even see a Christian found an ideology around Arab Nationalism and hold high positions in government office.

      It is beyond arrogant to think that countries and people are unable to change. I imagine my European forefathers, stagnating for centuries in the Middle Ages, would have felt slighted had they heard the educated and cultured and enlighted Muslims of the day talking about how Europeans would always be that way.

  23. Re:how timely.... by Hessam · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I as a student in best university of Iran (http://sharif.ir/en) like Mohammad Khatami because he won't let something like attack to the students happen in his presidential period. It's nice to see what happened to us just a few days ago: http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/03/6035b fe4-0e35-4807-ad4b-cdd4fce89821.html for Photos visit http://sharifpic.blogspot.com/ Those idiots who invited people not to vote for presidential election should now realize what they had done to Young generation in Iran. how long can we wait and see they are burning our university and all things that we have? The point is that waiting for revolution or attack!! is not a wise solution for us. Reform may be the best way but with Idiots who vote to new president and more who did'nt vote there is no way for us:(

  24. Yeah, you're *sooo* censored, you posted that here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If the US government censors, please explain Michael Moore, Rush Limbaugh, David Duke, Pat Robertson, DemocraticUnderground, Free Republic, DailyKos, Louis Farrakhan, Anne Coulter, Al Sharpton.

    And your own damn post.

  25. Weblogistan? by autopr0n · · Score: 2, Funny

    Who wrote this crap, Jon Katz?

    --
    autopr0n is like, down and stuff.