Islamic brainwashing is dangerous

During Iran-Iraq war Islamic republic of Iran used brainwashing techniques and methods on mass population to get them to the war. Many kids have gone to that war only to act as a human suicide machine.

Although Islamic Iran's death toll during war was something between 500,000 to 1 million people but they were happy from the outcome. The Iranian government-owned Etelaat newspaper wrote:

"There is not a single school or town that is excluded from the happiness of 'holy defence' of the nation, from drinking the exquisite elixir of martyrdom, or from the sweet death of the martyr, who dies in order to live forever in paradise."

Through Iran-Iraq war has been over for a long time but Islamic revolutionary Iran didn't stop indoctrination yet. Basij militia members and revolutionary guards go through some of the very same suicidal brainwashing techniques that you mentioned in above video. They are producing next generation of lambs for their Islamic revolution ideology.

Young Persian Jew

Being a Persian means you experience something that majority of Persians experience in their lifetime. Though Emily is a Persian Jewish but her story is totally relate to the most Iranian urbanite youth, regardless of their parents religion, belief system or political inclination.

Iranian parents regardless of their religion or belief, they have same substance and equally same expectations from their children. Majority of Iranian parents, by and large, pressure their children to become a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or at least some kind of Engineer. They don't consider any other field of study or work as important and respectful as Medical Doctor :)

I have to dedicate some posts to social upbringing issues within Iranian society in general.

Islamic republic of double standard

I am going to look at different angle to the reception of mothers of three American hikers in Iran. These American mothers traveled to Iran to visit their children that imprisoned in Evin prison. Islamic republic of Iran orchestrated the perfect opportunity to influence world public opinions by their so-called Islamic compassion; allowed international media to cover the emotional reunion of these mothers and their children.
This happens in the ever expanding shadow of arbitrary arrests and continuing news of  torture, rape and abuse in prisons.

I just want to touch down on one thing in this post. The difference of reception and treatment of American mothers and their children and Iranian mothers. While I am happy that these mothers got the opportunity to meet their children in one of the best hotels in Tehran, at the same time it makes me sad to see Iranian mothers are lining in front of Evin and other prisons that may they get chance to visit their children. Let's go through this with following photos. These photos speak volumes.

In the video, one of the American hikers say they have good food, medical care, reading material and Television. Why Iranian prisoners don't get such treatment in Evin prison? Isn't it the very same notorious Evin prison that these young American hikers kept there? The only news I know of Evin prison is torture, rape, abuse and inhuman treatment.

Followings photos are showing Iranian moms and dads in front of the very same Evin prison, looking for piece of information about whereabouts of their children, whether they have been imprisoned there or not. Some of them were asking to grant them a visit with their loved ones. Although these photos has been taken in aftermath of disputed presidential election crisis in 2009 but doesn't change the fact that Iranians go through and live with lack of justice and double standards everyday.

Photos courtesy of daylife: 1, 2, 3 and norooznews

The mothers of three American hikers jailed in Iran

I was dazed to see these three American mothers in this clothing in Iran. I want to know who did really advise them to wear this kind of clothing? I have seen many western women travellers put on clothing like average educated Iranian city women who dress up only in scarf and a long dress as an outer garment in public spaces like the woman on the right in the following picture. It would be outright outrageous if Islamic republic would ask them to put on these extreme (hijab) clothing. By the way, she is Switzerland's ambassador to Iran Livia Leu Agosti.

Photos courtesy of daylife 1, 2

Juliette Binoche cried for imprisoned Iranian director

Iranian director, Jafar Panahi has been held in prison since March 1, 2010 on the false accusation of making anti-regime film about crisis in aftermath of the disputed presidential election. Yesterday, Panahi announced he begun the hunger strike and he won't stop it until judiciary ends the injustice upon him or death.

Juliette Binoche were crying upon hearing this news. Next to her, is Abbas Kiarostami another Iranian director and film-maker who announced the news about Panahi and asked for his release.

Kiarostami said:

"The fact that a film-maker has been imprisoned is in itself intolerable, If the Iranian government continues to refuse to release Jafar... then we need explanations because I can't understand how a film can be considered to be a crime particularly when that film has not yet been made. the Iranian government has been trying to place obstacles in the way of independent filmmakers in the past four decades"

France exchanged an Iranian Assassin with a French national

France exchanged an Iranian terrorist, and an Engineer with a French academic. Although France denies prisoner exchange but the timeline of recent events bring more suspicion of a deal behind the scene.

An Iranian Engineer Majid Kakavand who had been arrested in March 2009 at the request of the US, flew home to Iran last Friday on May 14, 2010.

A French academic Clotilde Reiss who was arrested at Tehran airport on July 1 , 2009 flew home to France on Sunday May 16 , 2010.

An Iranian assassin Ali Vakili Rad who was serving life sentence for murdering Iran's last prime minister under Shah, also freed and flew back home to Iran on May 18, 2009. He stabbed Shapour Bakhtiar to death at Dr. Bakhtiar's home in Paris on August 6, 1991.

France exchanged two Iranian prisoners with a French national. The timing of their release speaks for itself. Also, this is not the first time that French government resort to secret deals to exchange prisoners with Iran. Anis Naccache was a militant Lebanese who sentenced to life in prison on May 10, 1982 for attempting to assassinAnis Naccacheate Shapour Bakhtiar. Annis Naccache  and his four accomplice failed on their attempt but they managed to kill a lady, wounded another lady and a French police officer who paralyzed for life.

Anis Naccache managed to negotiate a deal between Iran and France from prison cell that led to release of French hostages from Lebanon. President Francois Mitterrand pardoned him. He freed on July 27, 1990 and left Paris to Tehran. Now He lives between Tehran, Iran and Beirut, Lebanon.

Kurdistan Strike against recent executions in Iran

Yesterday Iranian Kurds staged all time high strike, protesting recent execution of five Kurdish prisoners in Evin prison. Shiite-majority Iran constantly have discriminated Sunni minorities within different ethnic minorities specially Kurds since Islamic revolution in 1979.

There have been some rebellious separatist Kurdish groups in the region and government have always crushed them, nevertheless average people have punished by harsh sentences in order to keep the region in control.



Photos courtesy of Diyalog

No burial, No funeral for families of 5 Kurdish

Iranian judicial won't deliver bodies of 5 executed Kurdish prisoner to their families. Families will be informed about their children's burial place in future. Also families warned about funeral ceremony.

"They have decided keep the bodies. They informed us they will bury bodies themselves and will advise families about burial place after couple of days"

lawyer of three executed prisoners, Khalil Bahramian said. Iranian authorities fear protests during burial ceremony.

You may have hard time to believe what you read, even some of you might think this is propaganda against Islamic republic of Iran! But it is not. Let me give you an example of Islamic Iran's hysterical history. Back in 1988, Islamic establishment summarily executed political opponents of regime and buried them in mass graves in unknown locations. Authorities didn't disclose burial location with families for years.


Hat tips: Rooz

A teacher executed in Iran

Farzad Kamangar was a teacher executed on May 09, 2010. He was not permitted to defend him during closed-door trial. His lawyer Khalil Bahramian said:

“Nothing in Kamangar’s judicial files and records demonstrates any links to the charges brought against him”

He described the trial as

“lasting no more than five minutes, with the judge issuing his sentence without any explanation and then promptly leaving the room.”

 Following video shows Farzad and his students:

There has been constant discrimination against Iranian ethnic minorities like Kurds, Balochs and Turkmens within Islamic republic of Iran and through different government institutions and judicial system.

Protests against Political Executions in Iran

The sudden execution of 5 Kurdish political prisoner outraged many Iranians. Iranian people condemned this new wave of executions by demonstrating in Kurdistan region of Iran and abroad in front of Iranian embassies on May 9th 2010.

Protest in Koln

The other videos captured in low quality so here are the links, Protest in Sanandaj the capital of the Iranian province of Kurdistan and in Paris, France. It seems new wave of protests against execution of political prisoners in Iran are under way.

There is another harsh reality that Reformists, like always, didn't condemned these executions and Green people in general rarely participated in these kind of protests. Reformists usually take same stance as hardliners about execution of ethnic minorities in Iran. If you take a look at videos, it is hard to spot one or two pro-Green people among protesters.


Update: The idea that Mousavi should have condemn these executions was hot topic in Iranian social networks in a same day that execution news broadcasted. After one day, Mousavi issued an statement on his website, only questioning lack of news about due process, trial and hearing procedures in Judiciary.

Five people hanged in Iran prison

Tehran, May 09 - Islamic republic of Iran hanged four men and a woman in Evin prison in Tehran early morning today.

The Tehran public prosecutor's office on a statement identified the five as Farzad kamangar, Ali Heidarian, Farhad Vakili, Shirin Alam Holi and Mehdi Eslamian.

They were Iranian Kurdish ethnic and all accused of terrorism including bombing government and non-government institutions in different cities. Public prosecutor's office failed to show evidence that these people involved in terrorism or bombing attacks.

Iranian authorities routinely have been executing dissidents on bogus charges such as armed robbery, terrorism and drug trafficking.

Farzad Kamangar was a teacher in rural areas and the campaign to save him still is here on this site.


Update: Farzad Kamangar's family and lawyer were not informed of execution.


Hat tips: AsrIran, Radiokoocheh

Forbidden Tree, Forbidden Apple

Forbidden Tree is just brought to my attention.

It is a short animation film, visualizing story of people who live in difficult conditions. Love is forbidden in this city and freedom seems a far fetched dream. People are forced into silence through intimidation and intense fear...

Banafsheh Modaressi is the director of this film.

A Contemporary Account of Prostitution in Iran

This is a 2010 documentary film by two underground filmmakers. Prostitution is illegal in Iran and offender may receive from prison term and fines to execution but still it is on the rise.

 

At 4:36 the lady prostitute says:

"I had some problem with getting custody of my child...so I had to go the family court. I talked to the judge there and begged him...that I was hopeless, confused and morally down and told him that if he could help me to get the custody then I would owe him a favor. What do you think this cleric answered me? He said the only favor you can do is that you become my mistress. Just like that."

This documentary has nothing new for me, I have heard similar stories like a zillion time but I am going to write a short comment on sexual bribery in our society and leave you with that thought.
 
Women have been reported over and over that they have been approached for sexual favour (even raped but I am not going to discuss it on this post) by clergies, officials, judges and so on specially in government agencies when they needed to get a job done. Unfortunately sexual bribery is a nasty social predicament that Iranian society is struggling with but surprisingly there is no effort to deal with this issue from government agencies. In fact government agencies are the one that exploited this issue and they are ought to blame but no one have high hopes from chronically corrupted justice system. It should be as a bit of a shock for people who know Islamic Iran with its compulsory hijab and though rules for offenders!

Bahari: Iran Election was not rigged

Maziar Bahari, Canadian-Iranian journalist who got arrested following the disputed Iranian presidential elections, with Jason Jones from The Daily Show appeared on PEN American Center.

In this program Maziar mostly talks about his ordeal in Iran while Jason were throwing jokes but I think he touched down on two important issues. First he pointed out that election was not rigged or rigged to small degree, not to the extent that Reformist camp exaggerate about it.

Second, he talks about fear of change among majority of Iranians.

At 0:52:40 someone asks:

"I think here in the States that we, just sort of instinctively assume that people of Iran hate the current clerical regime and want to see the end of them but Americans are notorious to failing to understand what people of another countries want. so my question is do people in Iran hate the current regime and want them to go, and if they do, considering there was not a revolution after the past election, is that a thing possible?"

Maziar in response says:

"It doesn't matter whether people like the government or not, silent majority do not want change, specially in a country like Iran that has been through so much turbulence, a war, a revolution and so many different upheavals in the past thirty years so people want to have that peace and security as much as possible and because of that many people do not take action against this government"

Maziar falls into trap of his own fallacious argument. How could someone be at peace when there is lack of freedom, justice, security and last but not least, immense social and economical gap between certain social class close to theocratic regime and rest of society (I am not even advocating for equality)? The only answer pops into mind is that you become like them, transform to pro-regime ideological follower but it seems it is not the case for the silent majority.

So there should be other reasons that majority keep silent and do not take action. Maybe we should look for answer in presence of weak, inflexible and ineffective political parties that deep down are part of establishment.

Then he concludes his answer:

"At this moment it is very difficult to say that most Iranians hate this current regime and I know that doesn't make me very popular among Iranians because people love to hear that everyone hates the Iranian regime, but that's not true."

We do not have data to argue over this claim, to prove its wrong or right we need reliable information and unfortunately in theocratic Islamic republic of Iran, polling is not allowed. In absence of reliable data it is only left to our imagination but before I bring this post to the end, I have got a question for you to think about; if majority were pro-regime would it make sense to exercise rigid and repressive controls over the social, economic and political life of Iranians to the extent which it damaged government image inside of country and on the international scene?

Mozart Piano concert number 23 2nd movement

I wanted to write about Ahmadinejad's speech at the United Nations conference on nuclear proliferation on Monday then I thought maybe everything has been said since Monday.  So for now let's listen to "A Major" Mozart Piano concert K. 488 number 23 2nd movement by Zoltan Kocsis. This concert recorded in Prague.

History of Iran - United States relations

The following video reviews history of Iran with emphasis on relations with the United States. No one can denies ups and downs of the relation between these two country. We know that there have been more dealings between Islamic republic of Iran and the US since 1979 which this video strangely doesn't cover them all.

Aside from some historical facts in this video, there are some lies there too which I have to mention and clarify them.

At 2:53 suggests "Shah was forcibly trying to rid Iran of Islam" which is contrary to reality. I wish it was true, I wish he would put some effort to get rid of Islam but unfortunately he was a Muslim.

At 7:28 suggests "Khomeini promised Democracy"! In fact Khomeini never promised democracy, the only thing he was consistent about was establishing Allah's government which finally he forcibly pushed for a theocratic republic!

Did you ever get the feeling that you wanted to go

This poem is on my mind for a long time. I thought I should put it here for now.

Did you ever get the feeling that you wanted to go,
But still had the feeling that you wanted to stay,
You knew it was right, wasn't wrong.
Still you knew you wouldn't be very long.
Go or stay, stay or go,
Start to go again and change your mind again.
It's hard to have the feeling that you wanted to go,
But still have the feeling that you wanted to stay.
Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, si, do.
I'll go.
I'll stay.
- Jimmy Durante

Hat tip: mudcat