Death sentence for pro-reform Iranian journalist

Iran Mania ^ | November 7 2002 | AFP

[knighthawk]

TEHRAN, Nov 7 (AFP) - Outspoken Iranian pro-reform journalist Hashem Aghajari, who was arrested on charges of "insulting the prophet", has been sentenced to death, his lawyer said Thursday.

Lawyer Saleh Nikbakh told AFP that a court in the western city of Hamedan imposed the sentence on Wednesday.

Aghajari is a member of the secular leftist Organization of Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution (OMIR) and is politically close to reformist President Mohammad Khatami.

He was arrested in August after saying in a speech that Muslims "should not blindly" follow religious leaders and calling for a "religious renewal" of Shiite Islam.

[knighthawk]

Ping

[cake_crumb]

"He was arrested in August after saying in a speech that Muslims "should not blindly" follow religious leaders and calling for a 'religious renewal' of Shiite Islam."

So he's being executed for going against the guys in power...the religious leaders. This has nothing to do with prophets.

I wonder if the posters who so proudly point to Iran, rather than Turkey as an example of a Muslim democracy will show up on this thread to defend the politically motivated execution of this man??

[ApesForEvolution]

Ok, where are all those "moderate" islamotrash standing up for this man's rights??

I'll hold my breath...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...

[cake_crumb]

"Ok, where are all those "moderate" islamotrash standing up for this man's rights??"

The man about to be executed IS a moderate. They're afraid to speak up, because the organized terrorist ring sends wiseguys to take out the innards and hang them in the public square as an example.

The people you should be angry with are the mullahs executing what is clearly a political prisoner for having the cajones to tell people to THINK FOR THEMSELVES.

[SauronOfMordor]

The man about to be executed IS a moderate. They're afraid to speak up, because the organized terrorist ring sends wiseguys to take out the innards and hang them in the public square as an example.

The obvious counter-ploy would be to keep your mouth closed, and when you see a low-risk opportunity to kill a radical cleric, do so.

[ApesForEvolution]

My contempt and desire to off the militants as one would shoot a rabid dog is a given.

That being said, until supposedly GOOD people say enough is enough and do something about it, dam* the consequences; I simply won't respect them.

I understand scared and I realize there are good people that are too ignorant or not wise enough to organize wisely.

I just don't believe that most populations are filled with patriotic opposition that are truly not bright enough to heartily and effectively bring about desired change to advance their society...so that leaves scared.

Unless courage is gathered up and they organize effectively, with the mass amount of ball* requited to revolt and overthrow their mullahs, nothing will change.

[ApesForEvolution]

Thank you for being succinct. I wish I'd seen your post first! :)

[cake_crumb]

"The obvious counter-ploy would be to keep your mouth closed, and when you see a low-risk opportunity to kill a radical cleric, do so."

Now THAT is a great idea!! 'Course, they would need to take out all the radical clerics in Iran, in which case there would be none left. Can you say JOB OPPORTUNITY???

[cake_crumb]

"Unless courage is gathered up and they organize effectively, with the mass amount of ball* requited to revolt and overthrow their mullahs, nothing will change."

You've got that right.

However, if their were something I could do to keep Aghajari from being executed for telling people not to blindly follow mullahs, I would. It's people like him that will organise the moderates effectively. Unfortunately, that's exactly why people like him are dying.

[FreedomPoster]

Ping - Summary: Moderate Muslim gets death sentence for being a moderate Muslim. ROPMA.

[ApesForEvolution]

Maybe we need an overt FReeper operation to go over and get something done. Are you in? Can you imagine the power this gentleman would yield and the inspiration it would garner if he escapes? Are there NO moderate islamotrash naitons that are willing to deal with this situation? Until there are, I respect none of them...

[cake_crumb]

I'm not Iranian. Or Muslim. Do we even HAVE any Iranian FReepers? Iranian American FReepers?? Doubtful, since Iran, the model of Muslim Democracy ® tightly controlls internet access. The mullahs can't have devout Muslims visiting porn sites - OR having unfettered access to the TRUTH now can we?

Does anyone have a "Conservative Muslim American" ping list? That was a rhetorical question. I was just thinking out ...textually.

There isn't much the American government can do, if that's what you meant by asking if I'm in. I could write to Amesty International, which could do just as little as our government, only a lot louder.

I'll send out a few memos and see if I can scare something up.

[ApesForEvolution]

layla, please weigh in. I have many friends of Iranian and Iraqi descent, but none "FReeping".

[cake_crumb]

"I have many friends of Iranian and Iraqi descent, but none 'FReeping'."

GET THEM FREEPING!! WE NEED THEM!!!

[Eala]

I wonder if the posters who so proudly point to Iran, rather than Turkey as an example of a Muslim democracy

Who's done that? I haven't seen those posts -- and I try to cover all the Iran-related threads.

[cake_crumb]

"Who's done that? I haven't seen those posts -- and I try to cover all the Iran-related threads."

You missed tham because they aren't ON Iran-related threads....generally. You did miss one, that I know of, but that was months ago. Generally, they post on war-on-terror threads, and sometimes on threads about calls for political reform from within the Muslim comuunity (in exile from______pick your country), OH and there was at least one who posted to the foreign Saudi male rapes adolescent girl in Florida threads. There were several rapes, by different men, and several threads on each. I'm already lost, and I was pinged to them.