Mike Pouraryan
The Courage of Iran's Ghanbar Naderi
Iran's campaign against those who speak up for Freedom of Expression continues on. Within the past 24 hours, 2 more newspapers have been shut down.
Within the past hour, Al Jazeera English had an interview with a gentleman by the name of Ghanbar Naderi. He is a journalist that works for Iran News. I was stricken by how matter-of-fact he was about the state of Press Freedom in Iran. He essentially noted that the state of Press Freedom in Iran was non-existent. I have been one who has lamented Iran's slide toward dictatorship ever since the June 2009 elections and I was shocked at the courage of Nr. Naderi's statements.
Mr. Naderi noted that it was very, very difficult for Journalists to work in Iran. The Press laws have no mercy. I especially was taken aback when he said that there is basically no job security for journalists and no future. This is so as the campaign against the opposition continues on nonstop. There was a demonstration in front of Karoubi's House calling upon him to foresake his campaign and come back to the revolution. I was laughing when I read that one of the signs read, "Karoubi Dastkard Mossad". This, in Farsi, means that Karoubi was acting as an agent of Mossad. This is a man who is one of the founders and icons of the Islamic Republic.
The Islamic Republic has to figure out a way to nurture such men. This is how it can somehow regain somewhat of a semblance of crediblity. The problem is that the people simply are tired of this. The essential of the system whereby one man can basically decide anything with no regard for the machinery of state is something that at some stage has to be decided upon. Mr. Naderi's implicit message underscored it. Many know this. Will the fools in charge in Tehran understand it or not?
Within the past hour, Al Jazeera English had an interview with a gentleman by the name of Ghanbar Naderi. He is a journalist that works for Iran News. I was stricken by how matter-of-fact he was about the state of Press Freedom in Iran. He essentially noted that the state of Press Freedom in Iran was non-existent. I have been one who has lamented Iran's slide toward dictatorship ever since the June 2009 elections and I was shocked at the courage of Nr. Naderi's statements.
Mr. Naderi noted that it was very, very difficult for Journalists to work in Iran. The Press laws have no mercy. I especially was taken aback when he said that there is basically no job security for journalists and no future. This is so as the campaign against the opposition continues on nonstop. There was a demonstration in front of Karoubi's House calling upon him to foresake his campaign and come back to the revolution. I was laughing when I read that one of the signs read, "Karoubi Dastkard Mossad". This, in Farsi, means that Karoubi was acting as an agent of Mossad. This is a man who is one of the founders and icons of the Islamic Republic.
The Islamic Republic has to figure out a way to nurture such men. This is how it can somehow regain somewhat of a semblance of crediblity. The problem is that the people simply are tired of this. The essential of the system whereby one man can basically decide anything with no regard for the machinery of state is something that at some stage has to be decided upon. Mr. Naderi's implicit message underscored it. Many know this. Will the fools in charge in Tehran understand it or not?
