RIGHTS-IRAN: BLOGGERS REBEL AT NEW CENSORSHIP.

by Omid Memarian

BERKELEY, California, Jan. 10, 2007 (IPS/GIN) -- In a bid to clamp down even harder on information disseminated through the Internet, Iran's hard-line Islamic government has demanded that all Web sites and Web logs (blogs) originating in the country be registered by March 1. Iranian bloggers say the move clearly violates free speech.

A committee of government officials, including members of the intelligence, judiciary, telecommunications, and culture and Islamic guidance ministries, will be in charge of approving the content of Web sites. The committee is authorized to block or filter Web sites or blogs that they deem illegal.

Over the last few years, the government has banned and filtered thousands of Web sites and blogs without explanation. The new law, however, specifies what kinds of content are not allowed.

Web site and blog registrars must provide personal information about themselves. Bloggers and Web masters who fail to do so risk being shut down and penalized. If the case ends up in court, the accused may find themselves in prison.

Some activists plan to defy the new requirements. Farnaz Seify, a feminist blogger in Tehran, told IPS, "The government's new policy of forcing registrations indicates that the authorities are making it clear that no one is permitted to criticize or even discuss religion, government's policies, revolution, ayatollahs and social problems."

"Freedom of speech doesn't have such restrictions and limitations -- however, Iran's government ignores this basic right of human beings," she said. "With this new regulation, the government insults both me and my intelligence. I will not register my personal Web site. I don't need to get permission to have freedom of expression."

Farnaz, whose blog has been filtered because of her outspoken feminist content, added, "I know they will censor me again. It shows their power but not their legitimacy. I will not legitimize their anti-humanitarian law by obeying that law, nor will I respect it."

The new law requires blog and site registrars to provide their name, address, telephone number, intended audience, approximate number of readers and other detailed information.

Comprehensive restrictions are placed on content that deals with a range of issues, from criticism of religious figures to sexual matters as well as anything considered offensive to the Ayatollah Khomeini (the founder of the Islamic Republic), Ayatollah Khamenei, (Iran's Supreme Leader), or that is deemed slanderous of Islamic laws.

The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, which drafted the new law, says that the measures are designed to support legal Web sites and remove the "illegal" ones.

"This law is intended to make the Internet atmosphere clean and safe," it announced.

For many Iranians, the Internet is the only public arena where they can share and exchange their thoughts and concerns on matters ranging from sexuality to social problems, as well as such contentious issues as women's rights and criticism of the current regime and its policies. Critics of the new law say it will effectively shut down this last refuge of communication.

Since 2002, the Islamic government has employed a highly restrictive filtering system, effectively banning many Web sites and blogs for Iranians inside the country. The state controls all Internet Service Providers (ISPs), making it the most highly censored Internet sphere after China.

Not only does the new law grant the Islamic Republic full control over the content of all Web sites originating from within Iran, but now authorities can filter the thousands of Web sites and blogs written in Farsi outside of Iran.

Arash Ashoriania, an Iranian photo-blogger and winner of the Reporters Without Borders Best of the Blogs competition organized by the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle in 2006, told IPS that the new law will have no impact on his activities since "my blog has already been filtered by the authorities without any clear reason and I have nothing to lose by refusing to register my website."

Another well-known Iranian blogger and journalist, Hanif Mazruie, who was arrested and held in solitary confinement for more than 90 days in 2004, believes the new regulation will have only a short-term effect.

"Iranians are continuously working on new ways of going beyond the filters. These policies just make them more industrious in ignoring proxies and obtaining the information they want," Mazruie told IPS in a telephone interview from Tehran.

Most political Web sites and blogs that are critical of the government have already been blocked. With the increased monitoring, this has paved the way for official suppression and control of the Internet.

"Political blogs and Web sites are the targeted group," said Mazruie. "Also NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) and human rights organizations which use the Internet as their sole means of communication are the main groups to be restricted. The government wants to restrict, stop and warn those who write anonymously."

"The intelligence officials who ran the parallel security forces during President Khatami's tenure (1997-2005) are now part of this government, and they are eager to continue the crackdown on Internet activists now that Ahmadinejad has come to power," he said. "However, they have not been successful."

Journalist and blogger Roozbeh Mirebrahimi told IPS that the registration policy also violates Iran's constitution. "The approval of the cabinet doesn't make the government's decisions legitimate. It should pass it via the parliament. However, it reflects the nature of the conservatives in Iran who easily close their eyes to freedom of speech," he said.

"All the experiences they have include threatening, arresting and intimidation of Internet activists and journalist," noted Mirebrahimi, who was jailed for his Internet writings in 2004 and has since been released on bail.

"The government wants to control the virtual atmosphere by all means. However, it is impossible to control the Internet for a long time. Technology and the passionate people who want to increase their awareness and knowledge will find a way to move forward and the government is just wasting its time and money," he said. Omid Memarian is an Iranian journalist and civil society activist. He has won several awards, including the 2005 Human Rights Defender Award, Human Rights Watch's highest honor.