The Committee to Protect Bloggers has declared February 22nd as Free Mojtaba and Arash Day. The commitee asks that bloggers dedicate their blog to the release of Iranian bloggers Motjaba Saminejad and Arash Sigarchi.
Reporters Without Borders points out the irony that Iran, which is now "undergoing the Middle East's biggest-ever crackdown on online free expression," is also a participant in this week's U.N. preparatory meeting for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which will be held in Tunis later this year. RWB rightly asks: "How can Iranian officials parade at a UN summit on the Internet at the same time as they are jailing bloggers?" Good question.
Time for the blogosphere to start caring about global internet governance before thuggish governments try to take it over under U.N. cover.
I will be linking to your post on my blog after completing this comment and I will participate in your campaign. I just began getting into this issue of Internet censorship and the repression of bloggers and journalists in Iran over the past weekend with the discovery of the Los Angeles Times' and Houston Chronicle's respective publications of a chilling column by Iranian blogger-journalist Farouz Farzami (her pseudonym), who was arrested and jailed for 36 days, and now awaits trial for publishing posts critical of certain aspects of her government. Do you have any specifics, by chance, on her situation, along with the others you cite? I'd be most grateful. I've also linked to today and signed an online petition being sent to "Human Rights Watch" demanding that Iran stop its Internet censorship. If bloggers don't feel compelled to rally to these kinds of causes, then I cannot imagine why anything else would take higher priority! If you'd consider linking to this post, we might get far more signatures than I alone might otherwise have. Thanks so much!
Posted by: B.A. Higgins | February 16, 2005 at 12:22 PM
I`ll be linking soon also.
That`s why I like blogs. It`s where I find the news I`m interested in and where I find the topics I post.
Now, if I could only rite more gooder :) I`d have a more gooder blog.
Posted by: Joatmoaf | February 16, 2005 at 07:59 PM
I'm with you Rebecca re: this heavy-handed treatment of people trying to break free over in Iran. I'll be posting on my blog about Iran vs. The Blogosphere NLT tomorrow, February 21st.
We also shouldn't forget about that young Iranian female blogger portrayed in the L.A. Times commentary titled "Bloggers Crime Against the Islamic State" dated February 9, 2005. I found out about the arrest of this young woman (blogger alias: Farouz Farzami) while reviewing postings on the Global Voices Online blog today.
Bloggers everywhere should be demanding an official written response from the Iranian Ministry of the Justice or whatever; otherwise we can threaten to "tear 'em to pieces with the mighty sword of the Word online!". The Mullahs in Iran and elsewhere understand that kind of tough talk, you know.
I've been following your work over at the Berkman Center - Harvard Law School and your contributions to the Blogosphere for months and I've stayed informed via your news reports on CNNI for years here in Europe. People like you and Ethan Z and others are making a big impact on many of us out here in the Blogosphere. Don't give up on us bloggers just yet, and keep up the great work.
Posted by: Black River Eagle | February 20, 2005 at 10:36 AM
Iran is merely exposing its weakness of handling even an iota of criticism by indulging in these kind of infantile tactics. By trying to stifle the freedom of its own citizens, it is acting like a retrogressive giant out to devour innocuous bloggers expressing their opinions. I fully endorse the view that Mojtaba and Arash should be released along with others who may have been held captive.
Posted by: naz | February 22, 2005 at 08:26 AM
How I wish....that this will actually wakeup leaders of Iran...but they are demons in disguise...
Posted by: Warren | February 22, 2005 at 09:34 AM
To the scumbag prostitute (who doesn't even run a blog by the way). Get a life. Think about helping someone else for once (which is what this site is all about) instead of how you can earn a fast buck. You should be ashamed of yourself for using this forum to advertise!
Posted by: Freedom | February 22, 2005 at 11:58 PM