Iranian regime promotes Holocaust denial and Hamas in Germany, silences dissent at home
While in Germany, Iran’s former chief nuclear negotiator has been arguing in favour of ‘different perspectives on the Holocaust’ and stating that ‘For us it is an honor to support Hamas’.
Meanwhile, back in Tehran 4 bloggers have been sentenced to a total of 8.5 years of prison terms and 124 lashes for ‘crimes’ including ‘propaganda against regime’, ‘insulting supreme leader’, and ‘possession of playing cards’.
first defendant Javad Gholam Tamimi is sentenced to 3 years and 3 months in prison and 10 lashes for “membership in illegal groups,” “treason against country,” “propaganda against regime” and “spreading lies;” second defendant Shahram Rafizadeh is sentenced to 9 months in prison and 20 lashes for “membership in illegal groups,” “propaganda against regime,” “spreading lies” and “disrupting public order;” third defendant Rouzbeh Mir Ebrahimi is sentenced to 2 years and 2 days in prison and 84 lashes for “membership in illegal groups,” “propaganda against regime,” “insulting supreme leader,” “spreading lies” and “disrupting public order;” and fourth defendant Omid Memarian is sentenced to 2.5 years in prison, 10 lashes and 500 thousand Tomans in fines for “membership in illegal groups,” “participation in illegal groups,” “propaganda against regime,” “spreading lies” and “possession of playing cards,” which the judge refers to as “gambling tools.”
When Channel 4 defended its decision to broadcast an Iranian regime propaganda piece as its ‘alternative Christmas message’, its Head of News and Current Affairs Dorothy Byrne claimed that ‘we are offering our viewers an insight into an alternative world view’.
Promotion of Holocaust denial, support for Islamist terrorists, suppression of free speech… An ‘alternative world view’ indeed.
