Iran's President Defends Web Control
December 12, 2003
BBC News
Aaron Scullion
Iran's policy of blocking access to certain websites has been defended by the country's authorities at the UN digital summit.
Speaking in Geneva, Iran's President Mohammad Khatami insisted that the country only blocks access to 240 "pornographic and immoral" websites.
He said the ban only applies to sites that are incompatible with Islam, and a government official added that "all political sites are free".
Online censorship in Iran became a big issue at the summit after hundreds of Iranians flooded a website covering the event with complaints about restricted access.
'Criticism is OK'
The web has become an important alternative method of communication in Iran, with the authorities often imposing heavy penalties on any net service providers that fail to block access to their list of restricted websites.
More than 10,000 sites are banned in Iran, according to reports.
But when questioned by BBC News Online over this figure, President Khatami insisted the number was much smaller - just 240 - and that the authorities were not blocking pro-reform sites.
"We are exerting greater control over pornographic and immoral websites that are not compatible with Islam", President Khatami said.
"But we are not censoring criticism. Criticism is OK.
"Even political websites that are openly opposed to the Iranian government ... are available to the Iranian people."
President Khatami added that Western broadcasters, such as the BBC, would not be blocked in Iran.
'No punishment defined'
Iran's minister for information technology, Ahmad Motamedi, added that there was "no punishment defined" for people publishing material the government did not agree with, despite the detention of Sina Motallebi, an Iranian blogger and journalist, earlier in 2003.
Dr Motamedi first insisted he knew nothing of the story, and then said the writer "has been arrested but not in relation to weblogs."
The minister offered an example, "If somebody is a weblog writer, and kills somebody, should they not be arrested?"
President Khatami also spoke of the popularity of weblogs in his country, saying "I do not use weblogs - but I do not use many good things."
"Our youth and adolescents during high school, and university, are using weblogs very extensively. Access for youth to the internet is very satisfactory."
He added that, after English and French, more weblogs were written in Persian that any other language.
'Freedom not chaos'
that "principles of democracy" were key to a knowledge-based society.
Speaking to journalists, President Khatami added, "democracy runs in tandem with freedom of expression, but this does not mean that everything goes.
"Freedom of expression and freedom of thought are the preconditions of a democratic society. But freedom does not mean chaos".
President since 1997, Mohammad Khatami held the post of minister of culture and Islamic guidance in the 1980s.
He was eventually forced to resign over accusations that he was too permissive in sanctioning books, magazines and films which some considered subversive.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3312841.stmGeopolitical Diary: Friday, Dec. 12, 2003
U.S.-Iranian relations continued to move forward Dec. 11. Iran announced that it has arrested 130 al Qaeda members and is prepared to extradite them. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said in Geneva, "Those who have committed crimes in Iran will be judged in Iran and the others will be extradited to the country of their origin. There is no place for al Qaeda, no place for any terrorist for those who act against peace in the world." Iran also praised the Iraqi Governance Council's (a.k.a., the United States) announcement that it will turn over Mujahadin-e-Kahalq members to Iran. The Mujahadin-e-Khalq is a group of Iranian exiles that had been operating against Iran under Saddam Hussein's regime.
This all confirms reports that surfaced over the weekend of Dec. 6 that King Abdullah of Jordan was brokering a U.S.-Iranian deal to exchange al Qaeda for Mujahadin-e-Khalq. When the history of this period is written, we expect it to be revealed that King Abdullah has served as one of the most important channels between Washington and Tehran.
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There are many winners in this deal, but what they win is still murky. Much less murky are the losers: the Mujahedin-al-Khalq and al Qaeda members being swapped have some seriously uncomfortable moments ahead. If al Qaeda allow this to go forward without response, they will seem helpless. A few months more of this and their credibility will start to dissipate. Therefore, they must do something. Therefore, they will -- if they can.
source:
stratfor