More on the tortured bloggers
Firstly I would like to thank all the bloggers around the world who helped spread the news of my previous post. The number of trackback links and comments clearly shows that the world is not indifferent to what's happening in Iran, and that's encouraging. I have to re-iterate one point: the presence of mental and physical torture in prisons in Iran (and many other countries) is not a surprise; what makes this post significant is the fact that it's written by an official government figure, who's advisor to the President and member of the Constitutional Supervision Committee.
Now let me give a few updates:
1- Apart from the tens of blogs that helped spread the news, the post inspired cartoonist Chris Muir. Check 29th of December on his website day by day by Chris Muir (or click below to enlarge):
2- I wanted to provide a link to the photos of the interviewed bloggers in Abtahi's weblog (taken by him using his mobile's camera) but realised that it's hacked again, for the second time in the past 10 days. Obviously there are people out there who would love to shut his site down and interrupt his unconventional blog. In the absence of his blog, you can refer to a copy of his post available on Gooya news portal.
3- Abtahi's blog post was well reflected in international Persian language media including BBC Persian, Radio Farda and VOA News.
4- Fortunately the news has reached the EU parliament and is reflected in a Dutch MEP's webpage. I hope they rise this issue in their next round of talks with Iran.
5- I really wonder why mainstream English language media paid little or no attention to this. In which other closed government system you hear the President's advisor spreading the words of innocent prisoners talking of being tortured?! Come on guys this is not an unproved rumour, President's advisor (the ex Vice President) who's also a government committee member has officially published it on his own bloody website. This only shows that the mainstream western media are much more interested in the nuclear issue than the human rights problems of Iran. And it also shows that the Iranian government and their negotiators are very skilful in diverting the attention of the west, from real and serious problems (oppression and social discontent) to less important but tricky issues (the nuke stuff). oh well hopefully the support of English, French and Dutch language sites will change this.
6- I suggest you read “The Other Middle East Frontline” in the Christian Science Monitor. The Iranian government is desperate, they 'have' to negotiate and do business with the west in order to stop the economy from collapsing and therefore to prevent social unrest. The west must specifically put human right issues as the prerequisite for any agreements with Iran (alongside nuclear issues). In this way, the Iranian government “squeezed between this international pressure and the restlessness of its young masses, will have little choice but to move Iran forward”. If this is ignored, then the crackdown will continue and the popular new medium of blogs will also die under pressure, together with freedom of speech.
7- Check out Nikahang Kowsar's excellent cartoon describing the situation of Iranian bloggers.
UPDATE: The story continues here.
i love the cartoon
(at December 30, 2004 04:11 PM)
Unfortunately I think the nuclear deal is so big that is over shadowing all other human right related issues. I don't know how we can make the negotiators understand this.
I like the cartoon very much (regardless of what Chris Muir had in mind about revolution etc).
(at December 30, 2004 07:11 PM)
The contrast between the two cartoons is very interesting: one shows the feeling of an insider: inside the danger zone. The other one shows the viewpoint of an outsider who is far from the danger zone and has nothing to do with it, but one who cares, and may or may not be very knowledgable about the details of the situation.
(at December 30, 2004 09:04 PM)
I honestly think the Iranian government has mastered the technique of bluffing based on some imaginary nuclear weapon rumour. While every measure must be taken to assure people of Iran and the world that oil money is not being spent on development of nuclear WMD, the world must also notice that the Iranian gov could be exaggerating by deliberately giving away false information. In this way they will keep the mind of the world busy on the nuclear threat, and this gives them a lot of free time to do whatever they want, oppress intellectual movements, shut down all reformist movements, jail every journalist and recently bloggers. And because everyone is just worried about nukes, the main thing which is 'reform' and consequently 'freedom' will be lost.
A persian provern says "they offered death so you would be happy with a fever". Our problem is the fever now, we need remedies i.e. international pressure for changes.
(at December 31, 2004 12:36 AM)
I am impressed that Abtahi has taken an interest in the torture of the imprisoned bloggers. According to The Christian Science Monitor Article, torture was made illegal in Iran in April. Abtahi has uncovered and published evidence of blatent violation of that law. I don't know how reform minded that Abtahi really is, however, it is encouraging that he wants to see the rule of law upheld. If his stand on this issue can encourage other Mullahs to respect the rule of law over the arbitrary and capricious application of "Islamic" justice by individuals in power who make up their own rules, then there may be some hope for reform from within the Iranian system. I also hope that the EU will pressure the Iranian government to crack down on human rights violaters like those that committed the tortures.
(at December 31, 2004 06:08 AM)
agha kasi inja lori balad nist?
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