Iranian bloggers defy censorship

Posted by Evan Derkacz at 7:15 AM on January 12, 2007.

Iran's new government is finding it hard to maintain legitimacy when so many of its own citizens disagree so strongly.

Sounds familiar.

Unfortunately, according to Iran's government freedom of speech doesn't occupy quite the same space in the spiritual makeup of the nation. Meaning: they don't give a hoot.

According to Omid Memarian, via Doug Ireland, "Iran’s hardliner government has demanded the registration of all websites and weblogs sourced in the country by Mar. 1..."

They've been filtering and banning sites for years but this is the first time a detailed ban has been codified into law:

Comprehensive restrictions are placed on content that deals with a range of issues from criticism of religious figures to sexual matters as well as content considered offensive to the Ayatollah Khomeini (the founder of the Islamic Republic), Ayatollah Khamenei (Iran’s Supreme Leader), or that is deemed slanderous of Islamic laws.

They want to make the internet "clean and safe."

Good luck.

Many bloggers, including feminist blogs whose ideas brazenly challenge the Islamic Law, plan to openly defy the ban. Blogger/journo, Roozbeh Mirebrahimi, comments:

"The government wants to control the virtual atmosphere by all means. However, it is impossible to control the Internet for a long time. Technology and the passionate people who want to increase their awareness and knowledge will find a way to move forward and the government is just wasting its time and money..."

Tagged as: iran, bloggers, freedom of speech

Evan Derkacz is an AlterNet editor. He writes and edits PEEK, the blog of blogs.