Iran considering the death penalty for 'offensive' bloggers.

Iran considering the death penalty for 'offensive' bloggers.

thinkprogress.org

Al Jazeera’s Nazanin Sadri reports that Iran is considering a new law that would allow the death penalty for “offensive” bloggers:

Under a strict interpretation of Islamic law, Individuals can be sentenced to death for two main categories of crime. The first is murder. The second is known as ‘fasad,’ which means spreading mischief or undermining the authority or stability of the state. What that constitutes is open to interpretation. In the past it has been applied to rape, adultery, drug-related offenses, and homosexual behavior. Iran now wants to introduce the death penalty for bloggers who write about and promote illegal activities.

According to the report, there are about 60,000 active bloggers in Iran, including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.mydd.com

Personally, I am horrified at the prospect of such a law being passed - the obvious potential for abuse/misuse is glaringly obvious.

We ourselves mediate and mull over what we would do in situations of this nature if the Death Bell of Big Brother came to our own countries in such a manner - yet here is an actual example of just such a scenario beginning to unfold before our eyes.


*edit - apologies if this has been previously posted - I ran a search and did not find any previous threads on this matter.





















thinkprogress.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 3/25/09 by GENERAL EYES]

The Iranian government is at it again I take it. Coming up with a law, yet the idea of bringing this law into fruition is just idiotic if you ask me. I can see having severe penalties for drug-related activities, murder, and or treasonous activities. To lnclude bloggers into this category is just down right ludacris. Let's say that you have several million bloggers instead of 60,000 or so bloggers in your country. You would to get the internet logs of every single computer in your country just to get an idea of who is saying what. Just going by either instinct or rumor could get alot of people into trouble. Then again, Ahmadinejad is only a front as to who really runs the Iranian government. Most of us know that the Iyotollahs and Imams run the country.

My question is how would they enforce a law like this if it is ever brought into legality by Ahmadinejad without the proper equipment to do so? That is if they don't already have monitoring equipment in place to track internet traffic.

That's not good.
I hope this doesn't escalate our relations into war, though.
Dictators stink wherever they are!

reply to post by GENERAL EYES


While I agree with you that this behavior is atrocious, and the possibility, nay, the wholesale availibility and leaning towards corruption is there, Iran is not the United States of America. The Middle East has been operating like this for thousands of years, where the Government is as corrupt as a rotten fig and the feuding is likened to a bunch of jackals leaping on a dying animal.

Our own Government is so rife and full of corruption, yet we as citizens decry what a wicked country some foreign nation is, yet nothing is ever done to the corrupt politicians at home, unless it suits someone's fancy to gain power by stabbing their counterpart in the back, and or blackmailing them into resigning a position.

Yep, this is so open to interpretation for Iran, but they are not entitled to Freedom of Speech, it's not in their laws to defend their masses, from the jackals in control.

Originally posted by gimmefootball400
My question is how would they enforce a law like this if it is ever brought into legality by Ahmadinejad without the proper equipment to do so? That is if they don't already have monitoring equipment in place to track internet traffic.

My first thought on that issue is never underestimate the power of good old fashioned "manpower" - I read several blogs a day on my newsfeeds, and even then just for an hour at most.

I'm pretty sure a reasonable sized staff of paid workers could cover enough ground to make a somewhat sizable dent in the posting of 60,000 bloggers.

Not to mention word of mouth and other internet browsers who feel they are doing their country a service by reporting what they feel is in violation of said law.

The last possibility frightens me the most - citizen whistleblowing.

It's so common for people to take the written/posted word out of context, or to accidentily read something into what someone has said that may be completely out of the authors original context.

I'd hate to think of anyone losing their life over a misinterpretation.

This is too funny! I guess the Main Stream Media is right, about Iran wanting to wipe Israel off the map.

The Zionists are about the only offensive bloggers I have come across!

Clever tactic guys!

To think they said these guys weren't forward thinkers.

Well at least now we know what they want the nuclear missles for.

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
The Zionists are about the only offensive bloggers I have come across!

Personal opinions such as this are what worry me most about this whole situation.

Like I said, the potential for misuse/abuse cannot be denied.

A difference of opinion or between poster and reader could lead to someones death in this case.

Forgive me if I fail to see the humor in your post.

See how easy a government can regulate the internet? You think it's so impossible? I would be scared to death to type a word on the net if I lived there. I only wonder how addicted the Iranians are compared to other nations who are literally willing to fight for their freedom of the net.

They sound as bad as the jews who throw people in prison for holocaust denial.

Keep all this in mind for all you people sitting around saying Iran isnt a threat to anyone or that they dont antagonize any other countries........their president is an absolute nut man, he kills his own people at a whim and for the most mundane reasons......this is just one area of proof

Originally posted by GENERAL EYES

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
The Zionists are about the only offensive bloggers I have come across!

Personal opinions such as this are what worry me most about this whole situation.

Like I said, the potential for misuse/abuse cannot be denied.

A difference of opinion or between poster and reader could lead to someones death in this case.

Forgive me if I fail to see the humor in your post.

I sure can appreciate your concerns. I have posted some lengthy and very serious posts on threads where the Internet here in the United Sates might be censored.

I put a lot of thought and energy into that, well, because I live in the United States, and it directly effects me and my life and business.

We sure do have some serious problems right night in the United States, the economy, the questionable laws that have been coming out of the White House and Congress for a couple of decades, the questionable laws coming out of it now.

A lot of Americans are worse and worse off each year, and in part it's because our form of Constitutional Government hasn't been really adhered too.

Even though a lot of citizens are suffering right now, some more than ever in their lives, not everyone in America is all that concerned about the issues facing America, or pitching in where they can to make America better.

Frankly I am not Iranian or Persian, what goes on over there is no concern of mine. I do not pay taxes to their government, I expect nothing from their government in return. In fact, I don't participate in their culture, heritage, religion or want too.

It's not my business, it's their business, they are a sovereign nation, and well if the people who live in it want to do something about it, they will, if they don't they won't, but it's their nation.

Who am I to judge where on the streets of my nation little old ladies and children are going to bed hungry and homeless right now.

I am glad you have the time to worry about it. I am happy you feel it's better to worry about Iran and Iranians right now than your own country, which all are having problems.

Most people who start these threads are simply looking to play god, international policeman, carry out Zionist or neocon foriegn policy, or have some religious agenda.

Maybe you do, maybe you don't. None of my business.

If you are looking in the mirror and saying, oh those poor people in Iran, how can I smuggle myself into their country, and help them gain the freedom I am sure they want, by putting my money and life on the line, well your hearts in the right place. We could still use your help here in America right now though too.

If your solution is, we need to take out Iran's Nuclear reactors and overthrow their government with lots of civilian casualties as always.

Well....you do the math on that one.

Either way, I still think it's funny! Not that this might become law in Iran.

But how a lot of people would exploit this to kill a lot more Iranians than the law would itself!

Thanks!

Australia banning websites,
Iran killing bloggers.

Are we witnessing the final days of *truly free* Internet?
I think we are.

PTB - aliens, masons - who the f* knows - will do anything
in their power to keep us ignorant.

Sadly, Iran is just an extreme case, "controlling" laws are in the
works at West and East.

Enjoy your freedom while you can.
And btw - get tracked at it...

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
I am glad you have the time to worry about it. I am happy you feel it's better to worry about Iran and Iranians right now than your own country, which all are having problems.

Most people who start these threads are simply looking to play god, international policeman, carry out Zionist or neocon foriegn policy, or have some religious agenda.

Maybe you do, maybe you don't. None of my business.

I worry about the problems here in America and in my own neighborhood on a daily basis. That doesn't exclude me from caring about people in other parts of the world.

I also have no "agenda" with this thread. Just bringing to light a news story I ran across during my routine browsing.

For the record, I'm just a humanitarian. I don't pay much attention to political or national lines and view people as people - but I can't help but notice trends in behaviour and the domino effect of changes in policy and how they affect the global community.

We are, after all - still connected at a subatomic level. We may not be sharing opinions, cultures and lifestyle - but we are still sharing electrons - and whatever effects a part - eventually effects the whole.

I'm still personally horrified that regardless of race, creed, social or political standing, so on and so forth - a large percentage of human interaction still clings to this sort of intolerance and bloodlust in the modern day and age.

Some groups always seem to find a way to abuse the tools they are given for their own purposes and gain. I have never understood this sort of egocentric behavior.

The fact that so many posters to this thread find it "funny" or "don't care" about the issue simply because it's not affecting them - concerns me just as equally.

I understand the majority of the "not my problem" is most likely a defense mechanism to the reality of such types of news and our inability to really do anything about - heck, I'm guilty of that cop out myself from time to time. I'm not perfect either.

No wonder there are so many problems across the globe right now, if this sort of mentality is dominanting Human Conciousness.

We might as well be living in the stone age.

Thanks to everyone for your contributions thus far, I'll do my best to keep this thread updated if I see any further reports on this issue.



*edit - spelling, clarification.




[edit on 3/26/09 by GENERAL EYES]

Originally posted by eventHorizon
Enjoy your freedom while you can.
And btw - get tracked at it...

Never underestimate the power of pen and paper. Even Anne Frank was able to leave a personal record of her experiences during terrible times.

History is full of the writings of people during transitional periods - some writings were hidden and ciphered so well that they are just being discovered - some may never be found, some codes may never be cracked.

The internet is a wonderful means to communicate, no doubt....but it's not the only way left open to us.

Stay strong, stay vigilant and guard your words carefully.

Never give up. Never give in. Adapt and survive.

[edit on 3/26/09 by GENERAL EYES]

It is their government not ours. We can complain about it, but what would you want other Countries to do about it?

Let me put it this way.

The US went into Iraq under the assumption they had WMDs. We were wrong about that, no question. However we took out Saddam who tortured and murdered his citizens who he drug out of their houses because they might have talked ill of him. The US is now seen as the bad guys because we went over there.

This seems like the same thing to me.

If they start executing Iranian citizens for blogging, how is that differant from what Saddam did?


What would you want the USA and other Countries do about it?

Originally posted by jd140
It is their government not ours. We can complain about it, but what would you want other Countries to do about it?

Personally - I simply want them to be AWARE of it.

Iran has every right to enforce whatever policy they wish, even if I don't personally agree with it.

I have never lived there, and I know little about the day to day lifestyle, customs and cultures outside of what I am able to read about on the internet.

This thread is for information purposes, and a chance to express ones thoughts and feelings on this issue at hand.

The US went into Iraq under the assumption they had WMDs. We were wrong about that, no question. However we took out Saddam who tortured and murdered his citizens who he drug out of their houses because they might have talked ill of him. The US is now seen as the bad guys because we went over there.

I am aware of this, and I can't say I agree with the decisions of our own policy makers on that issue.

There's not much I can do about it, aside from watch and learn and be mindful when such things tend to repeat themselves with greater frequency and greater impact. There are lessons here - if we only both to take the time to think about them on a deeper level.

I'm sure we're both aware how divided our own country became - and how divided our country has become - as a result of those political actions.

From the rise of gas prices to the protests outside the Crawford Ranch and our Nations current level of disatisfaction and cynicism of World Leaders in general. We have all felt the effects of the decisions of the Powers That Be.

However, these event don't mean we as a world populace should stop caring about the rights of other human beings just because of Nationalism, propaganda, bad reporting, bias, the mistakes of our Leaders, and so forth.

If we get comfortable turning a blind eye to everything unpleasant in other parts of the world, we won't know the warning signs when danger begins knocking on our own doorsteps.

It's understandable that after the past ten years or so so many of us are at a point where we are so disillusioned and depressed, stressed out both mentally and economically that it's easier than ever to turn our back to the plight of other people - especially when they live in other parts of the world.

But that doesn't make it right, and it's a slippery slope from saying "whatever, not my problem" to becoming as ruthless and callous as the very Leaders we condemn for their actions.

I cannot stress that enough.

Please do not forsake your humanity for the comfortable alternative of apathy and cynicism.

If they start executing Iranian citizens for blogging, how is that differant from what Saddam did?

Tyranny has many faces and many ways of maifesting itself. Blood will be shed during the reign of certain men and always have been. In one form or another, blood will always be shed. History has shown this to be inevitable. I only wish it wasn't nessecary.

My primary concern here is to educate and enlighten people to the Global Situation by offering one more point to ponder. The more complacent people come with human rights abuses(or even POTENTIAL human rights abuses) the greater the potential for more subtle forms of totaliarianism to slip into our own hearts, minds, and treatment of our fellow men and women.

What would you want the USA and other Countries do about it?

I'd like them to be aware of this issue and how it may or may not unfold in the future and to vigilantly guard themselves against becoming the very monsters they seek to condemn.

Nothing more, nothing less.


Thanks for your contribution.



*edit - clarifications, minor grammatical errors


[edit on 3/26/09 by GENERAL EYES]

this is exactly why the death penalty sucks. if a country allows its government to decide if a citizen deserves to live, it's only a matter of time they do stuff like this.

i also want to remind you that the US government came VERY close to reinstating the DP for child rape (horrible yes but imo not deserving of death) ... which I imagine would lead to sex crimes in general being punishable by death again and MANY false accusations. and eventually, death penalty for stuff like blogging.

reply to post by GENERAL EYES


Thanks for the reply.

I see your posistion. You detailed it well and without malice.

With regards to the topic, i'd get used to it if i were you.

The way things are going, i swear that one day we will see bloggers here who speak out against the system, taken from their beds at night and not seen again.

It's those words like "enemy combatant" and the prospect of no rights or trial, that makes me think that this will one day come to our countries.

CX.