Just as we are about to conclude our course in Journalism and Democracy, another step to limit Freedom of Expression and Thought is taken in the Middle East.
"TEHRAN, Nov 19, 2008 (AFP) - Iran has blocked access to more than five million Internet sites, whose content is mostly perceived as immoral and anti-social, a judiciary official was quoted as saying on Wednesday. 'The enemies seek to assault our religious identity by exploiting the Internet,' Abdolsamad Khoram Abadi, an advisor to Iran's prosecutor general, was quoted by Kargozaran newspaper as saying."
Perhaps there is a little consolation in the fact that the Iranian leaders' move tells us more about their own fears than about the "dangers" of the Internet. The power of the people is indirectly sighted as the reason for the shutdown, although under the name of "cyber imperialism":
"In its latest edition, Sobh-e Sadegh, the publication of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, said, 'The Internet, satellite (channels) and text messages played an important role in colour revolutions in Serbia, Ukraine and Georgia.' The weekly said Internet search engines Yahoo and Google, BBC and CNN televisions and even international news agencies including 'Reuters, Associated Press, UPI, AFP and DPA' operated as 'tools of diplomacy conducted through media.' "
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/client/pagesdetails.asp?nid=25034&ccid=18
/Saam
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