In Support of Carla Bruni Sarkozy

[roxiejules]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marina-nemat/in-support-of-carla-bruni_b_701301.html

The Iranian Newspaper Kayhan has called Carla Bruni Sarkozy a prostitute and an "immoral" woman," a "decadent singer and actress" who caused the breakdown of Nicolas Sarkozy's second marriage. These comments came after Bruni supported Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a woman sentenced to death in Iran for adultery. The Iranian newspaper even said that, like Ashtiani, Bruni deserved to die. Of course, as expected, the Iranian foreign ministry tried to do some damage control by announcing that Iranian media should refrain from insulting foreign leaders and dignitaries. However, the Iranian foreign-ministry spokesperson conveniently forgot to mention that the editor-in-chief of Kayhan newspaper has been appointed by Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader and is very much inline with the Iranian government.

Iranian authorities have a habit of trying to distract the world from the terrible disregard for human rights in their country, and the attack on Bruni is another example of that policy. In addition, for more than thirty years, Iranian authorities have interfered with all the aspects of the lives of Iranians, from their bedrooms to the streets. Iranians cannot wear what they want and cannot say what they think. Women cannot sleep with whom they wish and cannot date the person of their choice. Iranians are warned not to dance or sing and not to read Western novels. The comments in Kayhan directly reflect this way of thought: it is the government that decides how people behave in private and in public -- and if citizens don't follow these extreme, intrusive rules, they would deserve to die. As simple as that.