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More banned journals and Khatami in the USA

Farid Pouya · 21:06 · Middle East & North Africa

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the International Federation of Journalists, the Iranian media is under an increasing amount of governmental pressure. More newspapers and magazines such as daily Shargh and the monthlies Nameh and Hafez have been shut down by the Commission for Authorizing and Monitoring the Press, an offshoot of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Let’s see what some Iranian bloggers have to say about this issue:

All this for a donkey?

Kamangir says the Shargh newspaper was one of the last places where the current generation of reformist journalists had the opportunity to communicate their views to the nation. Kamangir reports that the paper was banned partly because of having published a cartoon which reportedly shows “a donkey with a halo around it”. An RSF report said that as the donkey was outlined in white, it was seen as an allusion to a comment by President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in which he said he had felt himself surrounded by light when he addressed the UN General Assembly last year.

Mr. Behi says that, like many other publications that have been shut down, Shargh may remain closed for years before the matter comes to trial. He adds:

It seems that this was the reason! and the president is offended because he claimed a light was around his body when he talked in the UN general assembly and the donkey in the cartoon has one and donkey in Iran is the legend for stupidity! How mean! and they closed a paper for that?!

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Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome

Salam Adil · 15:37 · Middle East & North Africa

lingua → zht · zhs

Todays post is full of revelations. Find out what is really behind all the violence in Iraq … where the Iraqi government is these days … original reactions to the Pope's comments on Islam … a recipe for a failed state … if Jews and Muslims really do get along … why one blogger is angry at American soldiers and, if you read to the end, some serious mudslinging.

First I must wish a warm welcome to new Iraqi blogger Marshmallow26; her blog Iraqi Roses is every bit as sweet as her handle implies. Why Iraqi Roses I hear you ask? Marshmallow explains:

I am from Iraq and inspite of the war, and the sadness that Iraqis are going through; there are roses are flourishing in the middile of the warzone, and these roses are the Iraqi: hope, peace, kindness, heros, and love. Long live Iraq.

If you read no other blog post this week read this:

The Konfused Kid writes of his own personal tragedy. A day which he calls simply 6/11. On June 11th the Kid lost four close friends to the violence in Iraq. (more…)

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Philippines: First Online Press Conference

Mong Palatino · 03:13 · East Asia

An online press conference, a first in Philippine internet history, was held last September 21 when the 34th anniversary of Martial Law was commemorated by Filipinos.

The online press forum was conducted by partylist representative Satur Ocampo, a former journalist and political detainee. The event, which was facilitated by Yehey!, a Philippine-based internet portal, was covered by journalists from the Philippines, Hong Kong, Australia and the United States.

Babelmachine, one of the bloggers who covered the online forum, ponders on the uniqueness of this activity:

“What makes this online press conference particularly significant is that it's another example of how technology can be used to encourage political discourse and safeguard freedom of expression. It's particularly apt considering that Martial Law sought to curtail these freedoms.”

Then he related how technology has been tapped in modern Philippine politics:

“After all, the Philippines has seen many instances when technology was used as a tool to empower the public, such as the online demonstrations against the corrupt administration of former President Joseph Estrada, and the text brigade that rallied Filipinos to the second Edsa People Power revolution in 2001.”

Bryanton Post, another journalist who reported the activity, summarizes the issues tackled during the media chat with Congressman Ocampo. The coup in Thailand was discussed especially its impact on the Philippines:

“According to Ka (Comrade) Satur, the Philippines has a different political dynamics and historical experience from Thailand. “But what must be noted that the problems that plagued Thaksin were the same as those that beleaguered (President) Gloria M. Arroyo – issue of legitimacy, corruption, political repression.” He added however that a military resolution of these issues is not the way, adding that the military played a big role in Arroyo’s sins against the people.”

Tonyo, a staffer in the Philippine Parliament, narrates the initial glitches in the press conference, as well as the excitement felt by everyone who participated in the historic activity.

Other bloggers who wrote about the online press forum: Challenge and Movements described it as the “revolutionization of press conferences,” Cyberbaguioboy and Manuel L. Quezon III who commented that it was an “interesting experiment.”

Mr. Ocampo became a blogger this year when he was forced to seek protection inside the Parliament building since police threatened to arrest him together with five other progressive Solons for “plotting to overthrow the government.” Read his blogger profile.

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