Journal of the mental environment
Blogging can get you executed!
Iran’s parliament is proposing a bill that will allow officials to give death penalty to some bloggers.
- Fri, 04 Jul 2008 8:45 pm — Posted by Abdul
- | 6 comments
Iran with one of the world’s most extensively filtered internet is proposing a bill that will allow officials to give death penalty to bloggers who promote corruption, prostitution and apostasy. Here is Cyrus Farivar reporting about the story for The World:
The Committee to Protect Bloggers is devoted to the protection of bloggers worldwide. You can read this story here.
Comments
I am appalled by some of the comments! Can't you see that these 'crimes' are just an excuse to deny Iranian people any freedom of expression? Any undesirable blogger can be accused without proof. It's the same old "witch hunt" pattern; it worked in the dark ages in Massachussets, it worked under McCarthyism, and it is bound to be used wherever the authorities want to establish thought control. Of course I disapprove of people advocating prostitution... but let them talk, who cares? As for apostasy, watch out! It is a Human Right to be able to chose one's religion; I totally object to killing people because they want to worship God in their own ways, or chose not to worship a god at all.
Although the blogs are about less than desirable subjects such as prostitution, corruption, etc., killing people because their opinions are different is unacceptable. When government has that kind of control over the thoughts and minds of their people, something is wrong. The bloggers should be writing about whatever they please. Perhaps they were saying the Iranian government was corrupt and this new law is just a way to control the masses with one hand as they shove propaganda down their throats with another. If anything, I would encourage the bloggers to continue to write even if they do support prostitution (because that is their choice anyways) just to show the government they have gone too far. A kind plea for a more clean blog is as far as they can go.
I am much worried about the subjective nature of determining which blog is corrupt? As the bill so far doesn't define the terms. So bloggers expressing frustration with the government might get picked up as a threat and the authorities can use this bill as a leverage to punish them.
I agree with Iran. no one wants them: corruption, prostitution and apostasy, but satan and friends. Help us protect ourselves from them, Iran.
Yes i respect your views but is death the answer? Is one persons opinion of a bad blog over rule the freedom of speech? All people should have the right to speak without worry? Yes I'm against corruption, prostitution and apostasy too, but think how people can use this against there own enemies. Theirs your corruption. Thanks for your time, take care my friend.
M
Thank you for your concern and giving the idea. yes i agree, we have to be careful in determining type of punishment to be given in this regard. death sentence is too much for such corruption. hand cut is enough for stealing, but apostasy and prostitution are equal. death is upon them indeed.
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