Derakhshan in Israel

Israeli TV report on blogger Hossein Derakhshan's January 2006 trip to Israel

On November 20, 2008, it was reported that Derakhshan was arrested in Tehran, after returning there less than a month before and accused of spying for Israel.

02-Mar-2009
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Abarmard

Aboli

by Abarmard on

Population was illiterate and very different than today. Shah was much worse against those who he "thought" "might" be against him.

In Shah's Iran, you would be jailed for the looks of opposition and guess of behavior rather than what you really did or said. That's the fact.


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Mehrnaz

by Aboli (not verified) on

Thanks for your comment.
I just wish you had shared one of more personal experiences of repression.
What happened to your Mother was aweful. I am not sure if it was a direct order from the Shah to keep everybody in the march, at any expence, or some idiot police officer, trying to shine for his superiors.
I was not old enough to live as an adult under the Shah.

I hear it was not fun times for people who were seeking political freedom.
Having said that, after all said and done, we know the number of political prisoners, at it's height, was 3000.

Executions were huge deals and most people know the names of those who were executed. Officially (what the regime admitted) less than 200 were executed for political crimes. Now let's mutiply it by 2, or 3, or 5, and call it real number.

We end up with 1000 executions, in 37 years!
Compare that to the number of people who were officially executed under the Islamic Regime (5000 in the conservative number of the mass executions of 1988).

Also you may want to consider the age of the defendants, what they actually committed, and the lgal proceedings they were exposed to.

Anyway. One political execution is too many.
I hope some day we never have that anywhere.


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Aboli

by Mehrnaz (not verified) on

Aboli, I lived in Iran under the Shah and experienced the repression first hand. The brutality of SAVAK was severe and brutal. There were thousands of political prisoners and the torture under the instruction and guidance of Israeli Secret Service, was as bad as anything you can imagine, rape, burning, chopping, you name it. I agree that there were plenty of cartoons of Hoveyda, but in my experience you would not hear criticism of government policy and there certainly was not any criticism of government or the Shah and his family either in the press or amongst the people. My experience of visiting Iran frequently is that people talk much much more openly. I am not making interpretations or assumptions, I am sharing a genuine observation.

One painful memory I have of the degree of freedom and possibility of protest (or not to show support!) is of my mother, a teacher, who had been forced to join one of the 'marches' for the Shah. It was a icy winter's day. She had tried to get out of the march when she got a chance but in a rush fell down and was caught by a police officer who pushed her on to continue on the march. She had hurt her ankle very badly but had to walk on that ankle for several hours ... She was subsequently ill for weeks with badly bruised and swollen leg. This is just one rather 'impersonal' memory.


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This guy is suspicious!

by suspicious (not verified) on

Why did he really go to Israel? A land that is occupied by racists zionists? Was he contacted by mosad to work for Israel? Well, IRI wants to know. Why is everybody so surprised for his arrest?


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To : Mehrnaz

by Aboli (not verified) on

I do not know how old you are, and if you, as an adult, experienced life under the Shah or not.
But your comment seems to give the wrong impression about political freedom under the two regimes.
Under the Shah, the red line protected the Shah and his family.
No direct, or indirect critisism of him or his family was allowed.
Pretty much like what you see with the Supreme Leader, plus the whole clergy gang.
Critisism of the government officials, from Prime Minister down, was common, under the Shah.

The magazines were full of cartoons of Hoveyda.
The brutality of SAVAK and the Shah's regime, does not even get close, by any measure of imagination, to the brutality of the IRI, by all accounts.


Darius Kadivar

Abarmard Israel Arrests But IRI Kills Agents ...

by Darius Kadivar on

Kakoo Jan,

Were You  speaking about Double standards the other day ?

Does the name Ali Ashtari Ring a Bell ?

//www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5258057.ece


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A note to Abarmard

by Girle Irooni (not verified) on

Abarmard,
I have had an eye on your responses and feedbacks to comments (every now and then), and I have to admit that I find you to be very intelligent, polite and reasonable person. Your way of thinking and behavior truly matches your name!
I'm proud of you


tsion

Nice try

by tsion on

but I asked you specifically about Israeli reporters who visited Iran and were arrested afterwards in Israel.

Now let's see. A day later, you have found exactly one case of an Iranian-Israeli being detained after having lived in Iran for a couple of months, during which time he had to undergo severe interrogation under Iranian intelligence agents to extract sensitive information:

'Suleimani was asked questions relating to the IDF, the State of Israel and personal facts about his relatives. The agents had confiscated Suleimani's Israeli passport and prevented him from leaving the country for three months...
He was arrested upon his return in August 2008 and told police in Israel of the interrogations he underwent at the hands of Iranian government agents within the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence in Teheran.'

Funny eh? What exactly do you think Israelis were to do, after such interrogations by the Iranians of sensitive information? Was Derakhshan arrested and interrogated in Israel and prevented to leave for months?

In the mean time, unlike Derakhshan, he will have lawyers and his case is clearly public. Israel obviously forbids her citizens to travel to an enemy states with regimes like Iran's, for security of the Israeli citizens and to prevent exactly such incidents. That is the case in all countries around the world, the US included. Even though most other countries are not faced with an ideological state bent on genocidal intents against every single citizens of their county for decades. This doesn't mean they will be arrested and tortured for months without any news or charges after they return home, as is the case in your lovely Islamic republic about which you seem so eager to spread positive propaganda here. More to the point, your very article, dated 25th February 2009 also has this to say:

'From joint interrogations carried out with the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), the NSIC has assembled a dire picture of Iranian intelligence agents intensively attempting to extract information from Israeli citizens who visit Iran'

Clearly despite the law, Israeli citizens have been visiting Iran all the time and the law was not enforced. This case, probably because of the severity of the Iranian agents' interrogations was an exception. The guy was clearly in possession of sensitive state information when he went there and he was particularly warned many times in advance not to do this.

Regarding travel to enemy states, they can take permits beforehand. Israel is a democracy. Even if they don't, this would have been the best you could have come by:
//haaretz.com/hasen/spages/931968.html
Needless to say, despite the law, nothing happened beside a simple questioning and a warning.
Some quotes:
'he told Haaretz that she had received congratulatory calls from "very senior members of the Prime Minister's Office" after her report from Lebanon had been broadcast on Channel 10 television..." there must be at least 10 [Israeli reporters] who traveled to Arab countries using foreign passports over the last couple of years alone, and there are certainly many, many precedents over the last decade." '

The other "find" says nothing about Israeli citizens whatsoever, and is thus irrelevant here.

Zion


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Abarmard

by mehrnaz (not verified) on

very interesting!! Not unexpected, but the type of thing I never thought to look up. Thank you very much.


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Yachov, "comments"

by Mehrnaz (not verified) on

In my experience, shared by many who follow Iranian papers and go to Iran frequently, it IS possible to "bash and criticise the government and openly ridicule Ahmadinedjad", BUT it is a matter of perspective and degrees. It IS MUCH MORE POSSIBLE to speak out than under the Shah's regime. There is no comparison. Under that regime you could not even criticise in private, never mind publicly, the regime and its dignitaries. And "ridicule", yes, you could, if you chose that as a form of suicide by horrendous torture ... . In Iran, any shop you go to, any bank, any queues you join, any taxi you sit in, there is ample opportunity to listen to open discussion, criticism and ridicule. If you did not find that under the Shah, it certainly was not because there was nothing to complain about!!! As the revolution did the speaking very loud indeed!

I am not a fan of Derakhshan but I sincerely hope he is freed of charges and released.


Abarmard

Here is my search, if you know how to search

by Abarmard on

And if I had some more time I will find many more cases for the inquiring minds, since Israeli government does arrest for visiting "enemy" states, here are two articles that might interest you.

 

//www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1235410...

Surprised? Learn something new every day.

This will tell you that they will do it:

 

//www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78854.ht...

Enjoy


SamSamIIII

It,s most probably

by SamSamIIII on

a scheme . being spiced up in salt & water for later use . soon, will see the all marinated maverick in the west  copy pasting shaikh message and this time more credible to the gullible .

 

//www.iranianidentity.blogspot.com/

//www.youtube.com/user/samsamsia


Yachov

Anonymous hajiagha

by Yachov on

I am sorry to hear of your present plight but do you really believe anything different would be done for you if you were in Iran?  How would you be treated differently by the government of Iran?  


Yachov

Comments

by Yachov on

Some of his comments about how the Iranian newspapers are more open than people think, that people can openly bash and criticize the government and that they openly ridicule Ahmajinedad are inconsistent with everything I have heard from people in Iran.  The fact that he is in prison in Iran today suggests that his perception of this issue was in error. 


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Iran did right job

by Anonymous hajiagha (not verified) on

15 years I live in Canada like homeless, with no right now I m sleeping in small camper in vancouver island no job no food, to night I was go to salvation army local o take shower and have food she told take shower but no food you must sleep here to have food, this place recived grant by government of canada and social serivece told me go there to we help you after 5 days...what yu guys talking about , canada have is worst as Iran last night my camper was frezzing to ice was all ready to die , JJ censore all this and he choice what is best for hime ...I do not have my PC here sending this letter from liberary courtenay BC


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This clip shows Derakhshan

by Calculator (not verified) on

This clip shows Derakhshan the kid (about 6 years old) in a popular TV program in the early 1980s): //www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIQNPJuAh0U


tsion

Yes, I would.

by tsion on

Please do that. Let us see how many Israeli reporters are in jail in Israel for visiting Iran. Absolutely! We are waiting for your findings and their references. Don't disappoint us.
-----------------------------

In the mean time, chew on these:
//www.mererhetoric.com/archives/11273587.html
//www.mererhetoric.com/archives/11273868.html
//www.mererhetoric.com/archives/11272000.html

:-)

Zion


Abarmard

Would anyone like me

by Abarmard on

To google the Israeli reporters and citizens that went or are in jail because visiting Iran or so called "enemy states"?

Garlic can't tell onion that you stink!!


پیام

Zion  عزیز، تو را

پیام


Zion  عزیز، تو را و جان عمه ات لال شو و اینقدر ورور نکن.

 


tsion

Hmmm

by tsion on

Didn't he have a change of heart and became a great admirer of Ahmadinejad and the regime in Iran? Evidently that was not enough... Heh, some lovely regime!

Zion

PS. Oh, and this is not a recent TV report. It was aired long time ago, my dear geniuses. You better restrict your attention to praising your regime in Tehran with words of love, as you have done already, for merely releasing activists who shouldn't have been detained in the first place. OK?


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maybe they set him up

by Anonymouswow (not verified) on

maybe they set him up because truly they did not like him. that is israeili waym by way of deception


Abarmard

What are they trying to do?

by Abarmard on

This is the worse time for Israeli media to talk about him, while he is charged with spying for Israel. Dim wits.


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Gol-dust

by Observer1 (not verified) on

Gol-dust, your post is extremely juvenile and bigoted. How can you dislike an entire nation of people? Your post makes you sound like a third grader.


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U.S. - Iranian Writer Held In Evin Jail

by Reuters (not verified) on

U.S. - Iranian Writer Held In Evin Jail
Reuters - World News
Mar 3, 2009

TEHRAN - Iran's judiciary said on Tuesday an Iranian-American freelance journalist, whose father said she was detained more than a month ago, was being held in Tehran's Evin prison on the orders of a court that handles state security.

Judiciary spokesman Alireza Jamshidi said he did not know what Roxana Saberi, a 31-year-old who was born in the United States and who has reported for the BBC, NPR and other media, was being accused of.

But he told a news conference that a revolutionary court, which under Iran's legal system deals with state security issues as well as other areas of the law, had decided on her detention. Saberi holds dual nationality.

The case comes after U.S. President Barack Obama's administration has made clear it is interested in engaging with Iran to address suspicions it is seeking a nuclear weapon. Iran says its nuclear program is a peaceful drive for electricity.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday said Saberi had been working illegally in Iran after her press card was withdrawn about two years ago.

"Upon the ruling issued by the revolutionary court she is now in detention at Evin prison," Jamshidi said. "I don't know anything about the charges against her."

Evin prison is a jail where rights groups say political prisoners are usually taken. Shortly after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution many people viewed as being close to the deposed U.S.-backed shah and others were executed there.

In Washington, the U.S. State Department said on Monday it had asked Switzerland, which represents U.S. interests in Tehran, to seek information about Saberi from the Iranian authorities but had not yet received any response.

RESEARCH FOR A BOOK

Saberi's father Reza said from Fargo, North Dakota, on Sunday she had been held in Iran since January 31, ostensibly for buying a bottle of wine, and that there had been no information about her for more than two weeks. Buying alcohol is banned under Iran's Islamic law.

He confirmed her credentials as a correspondent had been revoked but said she had stayed in Tehran to pursue a master's degree and was doing research for a book about Iranian society.

Uncertainty about Saberi's fate follows the detention of four Iranian-Americans who were visiting Iran in 2007, worsening relations between the long-time foes. The four were later released on bail and at least two of them left Iran.

Jamshidi said a travel ban on an Iranian-American student, who was detained last year on security-related charges but later freed on bail, may soon be lifted.

Esha Momeni was detained in October during a visit to Iran from the United States to see family and carry out research on the women's movement. She was freed after almost four weeks.

"I hope the case will soon be concluded and the restrictions on her departure lifted," Jamshidi said.

The judiciary has said Momeni was accused of acting against national security and of making propaganda against the Islamic Republic's system of government, a common charge against Iranian dissidents. Momeni holds dual Iranian and U.S. citizenship.


IranWrites

Derakhshan Again?

by IranWrites on

It seems he is seriously in trouble. I wonder what we can do for him. Of course if he gets out alive, he needs a few good spanks on his back side. I think Ebrahim Nbavi is the best one to give it to him, or maybe Jahanshah? what do you think?  But let's talk about it when he is released. Really what can we do for him, and also for the rest,who are mostly as innocent ? 


Darius Kadivar

Wishing him well

by Darius Kadivar on

I hope he will be released soon.


default

did someone not mention that

by icannotbeliebe (not verified) on

did someone not mention that he was being sued by another ex iranian. so i wonder if they were playing a staged game. maybe lawsuit artificial?


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What was he thinking?

by iranian 1 (not verified) on

No one in his right mind would try to build bridges between two enemies like Iran and Israel if that was in his mind.His intention was good but he did not think about the consequence of his trip to Israel.I hope they find out that he was just too naive and release him.


Moderator 1234

User Behnam Khazar

by Moderator 1234 on

Your comments on this thread and other threads have been deleted because they contained vulgarities or profane language. 


Behnam Khazar

Farrad02

by Behnam Khazar on

Censor?  This site is not being censored.  Not by a fair minded moderator like JJ.

Respectfully signed:  Sarcastic Ben