Free Speech In Iran: Crime And Punishment

Jailed Iranian Journalist Tells CBSNews.com How Regime Suppresses Ideas And Images

(CBS)  On Roozbeh Mirebrahimi's blog, you'll find a photo of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at a podium speaking to students at Columbia University. The caption beneath the photo reads: "He is really a big liar."

In 2004, another online political statement led to Mirebrahimi's arrest in Iran. He frequently reported stories perceived as critical of the regime. Among them was the story of Zahra Kazemi, a Canadian journalist of Iranian descent who tried to photograph a very controversial Iranian prison. She was detained, reportedly raped, and died in prison of a fatal head wound.

The Iranian government went to extremes to suppress any coverage of the incident within its borders, and to punish those who reported on it. For two months, Mirebrahimi was kept handcuffed and blindfolded.

"I was in a jail cell only big enough for my body," he tells CBSNews.com.

He was charged with eight crimes ranging from propaganda against the state to providing interviews to foreign media outlets. His trial is currently underway in absentia, and if convicted, he could face life in prison if he returns to Iran.

Mirebrahimi's story is unfortunately not unusual in the current political environment of that nation.

Abi Wright of the Committee to Protect Journalists says that bloggers and online journalists are routinely threatened or jailed for publishing ideas and images that in some way criticize the Iranian regime.

"We've discovered a new trend. Judges are handing down sentences but not necessarily sending the journalists to jail. This hangs over their heads and creates a self censorship," she said.

The government in Iran has made many efforts to curb access to the Internet to stop the spread of reformist ideas and Western media among the general population, as well. At times it has blocked Google and YouTube, and forbidden service providers to offer the high-speed connections that make photo and video blogging easier.

Still, Internet use has only continued to climb in Iran. A 2007 survey found that more than 7 million Iranians use the Internet in their daily lives, up from just 250,000 back in 2000. As blogs proliferate, they are harder to find and police.

Mirebrahimi now blogs from New York City, where he is currently the International Journalist in Residence at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. But in his place, many young Iranians are using the Web to spread a message of reform.

Last week, President Ahmadinejad spoke before the student body at Tehran University.

“Students should feel responsible in the international arena. Today’s world needs them,” he said, in remarks to begin the new academic year.

Many of the students heeded that call. Outside the auditorium, hundreds chanted "Death to the Dictator."

After the speech, several went home and posted photos and blog entries about their day protesting at the university.

[toolmangler-2009]

Bring it on! I just qualified 248 out of 250 with a .38, and 48 out of 50 with an AR-15.
Posted by hungry1968 at 10:53 AM : Oct 16, 2007


Why did you miss four times?

[sftodd]

sftodd,
Re: "Now, in the U.S., if you try to pass out leaflets at a University, you can be arrested for trespassing."
This is the first that I have heard of this. Do you have a reference/URL?
Posted by FeelFree1 at 12:20 AM : Oct 16, 2007

I don''t have a URL, but I know of a nonprofit advocacy group that leaflets at state universities accross the country and reports that at least once a week an advocate is told by university officials that they must either stop leafleting or leave university property.

Even more disconcerting, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals recently had the following to say in upholding the University of Maryland''s ban on leafleting by non-students: the campus %u201Cis not akin to a public street, park or theater, but instead is an institute of higher learning that is devoted to its mission of public education%u201D that %u201Chas not traditionally been open to the public at large.%u201D

[actornaught]

AverJane & notblue, how do you think your blanket condemnation of muslims looks attached to an article about a persecuted moslem wanting to express dissent?

The US and its culture is popular in Iran, inspite of their government. How would you go to war with that? hint: see Iraq.

[averjane]

notblue

I could not have said it better! Thank you.

[averjane]

You all need to open your eyes. You think these people care about you at all? All they live for is to die for Alah. People like you make fun of everything under the sun; blind leading the blind with all your scoffing. Wake up an smell the coffee! Get your head out of your !!! and do something more than find reasons to bash Bush. You''ll do it to the next president too as soon as you see they are not God either. No man can cure this world of its evils. Stop looking to man to do that only to realize there is no one and all you''re left to do is continue to be a bitter scoffer. People like you put others down for believing in something. Maybe you should try finding out why you''re so empty inside.

[notblue]

Hungry your purposful denial of the Muslim threat is fine for you and those who cannot deal with reality, however your indifferance and unwillingness to admit there is an enemy of the United states as exemplified by 911 and the countless other attacks throughout the greater world is music to the radicals ears. Rest assured there is a majority of clear thinking adults in America who will not midicate or rationalize away this evil and will continue to protect you and others who purposely bury there heads in the sand because of politics or ideology.

[hungry1968]

Poor billy. He was hit in the head by a falling acorn, and he ran around screaming, "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!". Now he lives his life in a nuclear fallout shelter because Bush has him convinced "The Muslims are coming! The Muslims are coming!"

It would be funny, it it wasn''t so pathetic.

[actornaught]

Is billy real? Sounds like a bad cartoon. Has to be some kid trying get a reaction.

[actornaught]

WAR has been declare on us by WHO? the MUSLIMS...
Posted by sunsetbillyb at 10:53 AM : Oct 16, 2007

spoken like a true xenophobe, and poorly. Do you get spit on your monitor practicing lies like that?

[actornaught]

....we can always use morons like you for TARGET PRACTICE!!!!!
Posted by sunsetbillyb at 10:20 AM : Oct 16, 2007

With a mouth like that, this probably isn''t his only deaththreat post that gets the FBI''s attention.

[hungry1968]

hungry1968....we can always use morons like you for TARGET PRACTICE!!!!!

Posted by sunsetbillyb at 10:20 AM : Oct 16, 2007



Bring it on! I just qualified 248 out of 250 with a .38, and 48 out of 50 with an AR-15.

[notblue]

Hungry, the more sophisticated devices killing American soldiers in Iraq have been provided by Iran, that information came from the mainstram media, even CBS.

The will of the world was represented with sanctions aganst Iran via the united nations security council, please do some research before you spew your rhetoric.

If you truly believe that Israel would be the only country at risk if Iran had nukes then you are naive beyond comprehension.

You forgot to mention world war I and world war II, the muslim fanatics mirro the Nazi party in almost every respect, if you cannot see the astounding similarity then your blind indifferance must be purposeful.

[hungry1968]

The left loves Am-a-mad-jihadist. They would like him to President of the USA

Posted by nexgen99 at 09:56 AM : Oct 16, 2007


I rate him in the same field as Bush and Cheney. I hate all three equally. Fortunately for all of us, Ahmadinejad can''t harm us as badly as Bush and Cheney have. We only have to deal with the repercussions of two madmen - not all three.

[hungry1968]

hungry1968...lunatic? its funny you called me a lunatic Muslims worship the moon and a star ALLAH!!you friggin idiot you too go back to your PORN you will hear from US..........

Posted by sunsetbillyb at 09:52 AM : Oct 16, 2007



The American Indians worshiped the gods of the sun, the moon, water, and earth.

The Romans and Greeks had their own gods of the sea, war, beauty, wisdom, etc.

Christians have their shroud of Turin, ichthys, latin cross, chalices, etc, etc.

So your point is what? Go back to your fallout shelter. I choose to live my life without fear - not like you Bush following p*ssies that expect American soldiers to die for your senseless, Bush inspired, fears.

Idiot.

[nexgen99]

The left loves Am-a-mad-jihadist. They would like him to President of the USA

[hungry1968]

Posted by notblue at 09:37 AM : Oct 16, 2007

(Cont.)

"It is the epidamy of naivity to think radical Islam and it''s many forms in many countries throughout the world will go away if we just isolate ourselves, the past 30 years prior to 911 have proven that does not work, wake up to the threat people!"

We''ve been interfering in their affairs SINCE 1948 including the last 30 years. That IS WHY WE WERE ATTACKED!!! And no - radical Islam will never go away. But at least WE won''t be their targets anymore. Sorry - unlike you I put America''s safety and security first.

[hungry1968]

Posted by notblue at 09:37 AM : Oct 16, 2007


You''re so wrong on so many points, it''s hard to know where to start.

"A state who sponsors, enables, and arms terrorists that are killing Americans and American soldiers is Iran."

Would this include Haliburton that lost two containers of weapons some of which ended up in the hands of insurgents? Or Blackwater selling arms and munitions to the Kurdish rebels that attacked Iraqi and American security forces?


"Iran is also actively pursueing nuclear weapons disregarding the will of the world."

How do you know what the "will of the world" is? I''ve heard nothing from any other country''s except for England and America - both of which already have nukes. Who are we as a country, to say who can and can''t do what inside their own borders? I don''t like the idea of them having nukes either, but we aren''t their masters - we can''t give them orders.


"If Iran is allowed to develope nuclear weapons it will not only be a threat to the middle east and Israel, It will be a threat to the greater world."

No - the only concern is for the safety of Israel. Take the blinders off and you''ll see that. Iran, Iraq, etc never posed a threat to America until we started intervening in their affairs.


"Good thing America has not adopted that stance over the past 200+ years!"

Oh - I see your point. Everything was such a success in Iraq, Vietnam, Korea, Somalia, and Lebanon, you figure that we should keep intervening in other countries affairs. Riiiiight...

[actornaught]

"Yet secular humanists and the far-left believe Achmadenijad"

um... what? Is that something you got from the radio, or did you just hear that from your own fillings? It sounds like you''re gearing up for a fit to rationalize invading yet another country.

Western culture and america are actually fairly popular in Iran, and mahmoud is not. But w and his idiot fans haven''t learned a thing from Iraq. Taking his ugly war out on another population will only push the undecideds away from reform, and further jeopardize those that already support it.

[terrorislam1]

NONE OF US IS FREE UNLESS ALL ARE FREE!

None Of Us Are Free - Lynyrd Skynyrd
http://www.lyrics007.com/Lynyrd%20Skynyrd%20Lyrics/None%20Of%20Us%20Are%20Free%20Lyrics.html

WHY IS IT NOT ONE MUSLIM COUNTRY GRANTS EQUAL RIGHTS TO NON MUSLIMS?

FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM SAYS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATES ISLAM LAW.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

For example, in 1981, the Iranian representative to the United Nations, Said Rajaie-Khorassani, articulated the position of his country regarding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by saying that the UDHR was "a secular understanding of the Judeo-Christian tradition", which could not be implemented by Muslims without trespassing the Islamic law.

http://www.un.org/terrorism/
http://www.un.org/terrorism/strategy-counter-terrorism.html
http://www.un.org/

But the accepted assumption in India is that most of India''s Muslims were converted to Islam through the sword. Meaning the Indians were given an option between death or adopting Islam. The third option was getting examined in Islam religion along with heavy taxes- Jeziya (poll tax) and Kharaj (property tax).
http://adaniel.tripod.com/Islam.htm

this is what fascist nazi islam calls peace....

are you ready to live under islam rule as a non muslim???

apartheid fascist nazi islamic style

Rights of Non-Muslims in an Islamic State
http://www.sullivan-county.com/id3/islamic_state.htm

[notblue]

A state who sponsors, enables, and arms terrorists that are killing Americans and American soldiers is Iran. Iran is also actively pursueing nuclear weapons disregarding the will of the world. If Iran is allowed to develope nuclear weapons it will not only be a threat to the middle east and Israel, It will be a threat to the greater world. But as usual the pascifist, isolationest left thinks if we just leave everyone alone to do what they wish America will somehow be safer. Good thing America has not adopted that stance over the past 200+ years! It is the epidamy of naivity to think radical Islam and it''s many forms in many countries throughout the world will go away if we just isolate ourselves, the past 30 years prior to 911 have proven that does not work, wake up to the threat people!