Report Cites "Climate of Fear" in Iran

[gottaB]

ISTANBUL, June 6 -- Iran's hard-line conservative rulers have succeeded in stifling public criticism through illegal arrests, systematic beatings and "white torture" in secret prisons, according to a new report by an international watchdog group.

Human Rights Watch, a New York-based advocacy group, concluded that hard-liners have intimidated critics by shuttering dozens of newspapers, arresting student protesters by the thousands and operating jail facilities beyond the reach of Iran's elected reformers. "White torture" is the term political prisoners use for excruciating confinement alone inside tiny, artificially lit cells for weeks at a time.

The title of the 65-page report, "Like the Dead in Their Coffins: Torture, Detention and the Crushing of Dissent in Iran," refers to the rows of solitary cells in which detainees were confined. The cells typically measure 3 feet by 6 feet.

Report Cites "Climate of Fear" in Iran....

***

Also, Iran's hardliners "crush dissent with torture."

The report is not yet posted at hrw, but check back later.

[Old and In the Way]

1. I blame this administration for the ME fundementalism.

Our invasion/occupation of Iraq has squeezed the moderates in these countries and emboldened the fundies. RW reactionaries here and in the ME are the only ones benefiting from the "War on Terror".

[gottaB]

2. you have a point there

Pro-Western or anti-anti-Western views have been discredited, and movements towards democraticization have been undermined. No doubt about it.

[demosincebirth]

9. Come on, we can't

blame whats happening in Iran on the U.S. As we knock Christian fundamentalist in this county, Islamic fundamentalist are given a free ride . Whats up? One thing I know, is that we are not responsible for every bad thing that happens in this world. Come on guys...take off the blinders . Thanks, I had to say that.

[Old and In the Way]

12. Yes we can.

Islamic Fundementalism is on the rise precisely because we have invaded and occupied Iraq. If you were a secular moderate Muslim in the ME, your position is far more tenuous now. You are marginalized by the RW fundies there because you are being painted as an apologist for the Western infidels.

Our actions are certainly undermining the moderates in ME. In fact, RW extremism is on the rise- here, Israel, ME. That benefit's the ideologues in power and it will make war far more likely.

You should take your blinders off, friend.

[gottaB]

17. The goal of US policy with respect to Iran should be to drive a wedge

between anti-Western hardliners and popular sentiment. The Bush administration has in several instances done things that make attaining our objectives vis-a-vis Iran rather difficult. That's a point I stick to.

Of course Iranians are ultimately responsible for Iran, for the Islamic Revolution, for the Ayatollahs, for the reformers, and for their political culture. And yet we should still wish to steer them away from anti-Americanism as best we can. I'd think that ought to go without saying.

When we in the US ask ourselves, Why doens't Khatami do more to democratize Iran? or Why does Khatami say things that seem hostile to America? Then we are being twits.

Maybe we'd rather work with guys like Ayatollah Ahmad Janati (Iran's hardline cleric says US, British and Israelis "warring against God"). Oops. We may not have much of a choice-- Iran's New Majles Starts Work With Shouts of Death to the US. Oh well.

[0007]

21. Islamic fundamentalist are given a free ride?

Please back up up your statement with facts and your opinion. Or I'll give you the big gong.

[Turley]

3. Well that's a stretch

Dubya was in a drunken stupor somewhere in Texas when the fundies took over Iran, what, 25 years ago? They've been there ever since.

[Art_from_Ark]

6. The problem is

there apparently was a budding Westernization movement in Iran, but the shrub blew it to pieces by labeling Iran as a member of the comic-book-like "Axis of Evil" and starting wars against Iran's neighbors.

[JNelson6563]

7. And what you say is so obvious

I gotta wonder about why it even needed to be explained here at the DU???

Julie

[Old and In the Way]

13. Iran was moderating until we invaded Iraq.

We (the Bush administration)are contributing to the rise of Islamic fundementalism in the ME.

[teryang]

4. Climate of fear grips Americans n/t

[Zhade]

5. REMEMBER: Reagan committed treason selling arms to Iran.

Never forget the man's true deeds, and please DO forget the bullshit myths about him pushed by the radical right.

</public service announcement>

[nolabels]

16. Negroponte wanted to move closer to the action

He probably thought he could torture reasons why * was losing the battle in putting Iraq in the neocon column



I had no doubt that these conflicts were being fueled by Cuba, and I think by implication by the Soviet Union.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/18/interviews/negroponte/

[rfkrocks]

8. Great and this is the country that really wants the bomb

Bush also supported this rule by backing Chalabi (spelling-??) who gave our code breaking intell to the Iranian government-Can you imagine in world war 2 our intell service letting out that we cracked enigma-the Nazi code machine?-Also this country is really building a bomb now-I think Bush is brillant don't you?

[NNN0LHI]

14. They would be insane if they were not building up a nuclear deterrent

Bush invading Iraq has them that the only thing that may keep the US from stealing the Iranians oil would be having a nuclear deterrent. That is a fact.

Don

[tlcandie]

10. And the only difference between Iran and the US is various shades

of grey errrr white....

[fbahrami]

11. The mismanagement of foreign policy in Iran

started in 1953 (read "All the Shah's Men"), and continues to this day.

Any Iranian will tell you that the Washington and London abhor democracy in Iran (because they secretly overthrew the first democratically-elected prime-minister Mossadegh).

Iran (and other countries) *want* to emulate Europe and especially the U.S. (in term of 'freedom', 'democracy', pop/modern culture, etc.), but the official policy of disrespect and trickery unfortunately prevents it.

[newyawker99]

18. Hi fbahrami!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Just Me]

22. Yup, yup, yup,...corporatists keeping screwing "democracy" up.

Too bad more Americans don't know about the nuts and bolts of how corporate America has basically created the problems we face today.

Welcome to DU, "fbahrami"!!! :hi:

:kick:

[progressivebydesign]

15. Here we go again!

Gee. I thought that PNAC's next target was Syria, but that grew too cold and boring for them. Much easier, since we're already in Iraq, for us to invade Iran.. and bring THEM democracy too!

We're SO being set up for this... First Chalabai as a spy for Iran, now, reports coming out to align Iran with Iraq. While I know these things are going on.. I just find it so odd that Iran is suddenly in the media every day.

[LSK]

19. is this more propaganda????

Didnt we see the same BS about Iraq 2 years ago? Do we have to fall for it again?

If re-elected, Bush will want to invade someone else. Why give in to his propaganda again?

[Lisa]

20. the Iranian fundamentalists just used the Shah's old facilities ...

That's what Persian friends, who fled the country to get away from SAVAK, told me.