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Iran Suspends Programmer's Death Sentence
jamaicaplain writes "Reuters reports that 'Iran has suspended the death sentence for a computer programmer convicted on charges of running a pornographic website after he "repented for his actions," his lawyer was quoted as saying on Sunday. Saeed Malekpour, an Iranian citizen and Canadian resident, was arrested in 2008 while visiting relatives in Iran, according to Amnesty International. Although Iranian authorities accused him of running a pornography site, Amnesty has said the charges appear to stem from a software program created by Malekpour that was used without his knowledge to post pornographic images.'"
It's not clear if he'll ever be released, however.
This is like sentencing a truck designer to death because trucks are used to transport alcohol.
But in fundamentalist societies like Iran and some of the southern US states, intelligence is not a factor in getting into power. So these people don't see the logical discontinuity between the person writing software (or designing trucks) and the actual other person using the software (or the truck) to do something illegal under their laws. /anonymous because of troll baiting glib southern US state comment
Umm no, you're describing of our friends in Saudi Arabia, not our enemies in Iran.
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
I once watched a video clip of an Iranian girl getting stoned to death by a crowd of people. At one point during the ordeal her dress started to ride up her legs. One of the attackers was very quick to cover up her legs again.
Extremely horrific violence: Ok.
Semi-nudity: Not ok.
I like my coffee the way I like my women - roasted and ground up into little tiny pieces.
Actually, Iran does not require the full veil (Niqab). They do, however, require the hair be covered.
Don't visit any Muslim country, EVER! For that matter, never ever visit any country where the local laws and your history and lifestyle conflict. Don't drink in an alcohol free country. Not even if it is offered.
Don't smuggle or use Drugs in the US of A not even if some states now allow it. As a foreigner, no local senator is going to burn his fingers on you to get you free from the federal government.
Don't take "teen" porn into a nation that has higher age limits for porn. Don't take manga/anime into such countries either, the laws might not be enforced always but you don't want to be the exception to the rule.
Yes it sucks but a foreign nation doesn't owe you anything. Right now in Saudi Arabia, a young foreign girl is in jail for life NOT because the COURT wants her to be in jail but because under Sharia law, until the parents of the baby she supervised when it died (at no fault of her) forgive her, she remains in jail. The police, medical examiners and court have said she is not to blame but Sharia law rules otherwise and if you go to such a backward place, you agree to be bound by it. So. DON'T.
And it ain't even hard stuff, do you know that on the whole it is not a good idea to "argue" with an American cop. In Holland it is perfectly normal. In the US? NO! And you might get away with it in a tourist trap but in a southern state?
99% of the time, nothing will happen and then it does and you get caned for dropping chewing gum on the sidewalk.
It is one of the things you got to consider really carefully when considering a job in another country, does that country legal system and culture conflict with yours? Both the US and Holland for instance got stoners but Dutch stoners don't risk jail with every joint. You might be going to work in an industry where drug use is considered normal but will that cop searching your car feel the same? Hell, even ordinary smokers better consider the smoking laws in a foreign country.
If you are one of those people who needs a beer at the end of the day, is a Muslim controlled country really worth it? If you want to wash your car on sundays better stay out of bible belt areas.
See this video: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xh4tqg_top-gear-take-on-the-us-pt-2-close-call-crossing-alabama_auto
Are you gay, a liberal or have a brain? Stay out of the South, you are not welcome. Don't think New York, Philidelpia and LA are all of the US, some parts are as dangerous as the most backwards Muslim nations and worse. Because at least most Muslim nations are ruled by dictators who usually don't want trouble (Arab Spring so far has only made the Arab nations less liberal and less secular) and whose police (Turkey's military used to heavy handedly enforce its secular system as set up by Ata Turk, the democractic system so far is shifting the country to be a pure Muslim state instead) might not like your liberal arse but have strict orders not to allow stuff to happen unless someone in power needs an incident. No such protection exists in the deep South.
For that matter, any southern republican thinking about leaving for Australia because a black man is in the white house and you just hate that socialist Obamacare? Ooops, Australia is far more to the left then any part of the USA. For that matter, all western countries are. A redneck won't be at home anywhere else. Better realize that Philadelphia is redneck heaven before taking a job in Europe. Or you won't last long.
Be wary when travelling, you are entering an other countries legal system and culture and you don't want to be an example to other travellers.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
This is complete and utter rubbish. I've been to Iran a number of times, just two weeks ago returning from a two month trip there (with my non-Iranian wife, her second trip to Iran), and I can categorically say that you are utterly wrong. Don't get me wrong - Iran's treatment of women is appalling, but you are way off base here - nothing like what you describe happens. As TapeCutter points out, you're probably thinking about our good friends, who flew planes into the WTC, the Saudis.
And I did google both, your google "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" came up with the first website about it being a hoax. "Iranian girl sentenced" never came up with any hoaxes or myths.
Umm no, you're describing of our friends in Saudi Arabia, not our enemies in Iran.
No, he's being quite accurate in the "pulled off the streets" part, as I believe he's referring to Iran's basiji militias, or at least the subset of them who go out on "morality" patrols to make sure that women are "properly" covered, aren't wearing makeup, aren't walking with unrelated men, etc. You're right in that the standards they enforce are a little less strict than those in Saudi Arabia (just a headscarf being required, rather than a full-body chador), but the basiji are much more likely than their Saudi counterparts (the mutaween) to use violence on the spot. It can be something merely humiliating, like shaving the woman's head if her scarf does not completely cover her hair, or a beating, all the way up to things like pulling out her fingernails with pliers (if she has on nail polish) or throwing acid in her face. I'm certainly not going to praise the mutaween or the Saudi religious laws, but at least there you're more likely to wind up in front of a judge and be able to plead your case.
As far as porn goes, "showing a little bit of nose" isn't porn in Iran, but they definitely do execute people for making porn (either acting in it or being part of the production process).
Incidentally, the only reason for the headscarves vs. chador type of differences are due to the Iranian leadership having to work at stuffing the secularization genie back into the bottle, whereas in Saudi Arabia it never got out -- Iran had an ongoing women's movement since early in the 20th century. It's not through any lack of desire on the mullah's part to have it that way. Even the strongest dictatorship can only roll things back so fast as long as people remember the freedoms that are being suppressed.
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"The Greens lynched a hacker in Chicago. Last month, but I think the body's still hanging from the old Water Tower."
I see that this post hos been modded "interesting". It might be interesting, and it might be true, but at the moment, it is completely baseless.
IOW, [citation needed]
SJW n. One who posts facts.