NationStates Jolt Archive


Those silly Iranians! Rioting over another cartoon!

Eutrusca
24-05-2006, 13:26
COMMENTARY: This time the shoe is on the other foot. Iran's Azeri minority rioted over an Iranian state-owned newspaper's cartoon. Now, instead of encouraging Iranians to riot over Danish cartoons, Iran had to shut down its OWN newspaper. LMAO!


Iran Shuts Down Newspaper Over Cartoon (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/24/world/middleeast/24iran.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin)


By NAZILA FATHI
Published: May 24, 2006
TEHRAN, May 23 — The government shut down one of its official newspapers on Tuesday for publishing a cartoon that mocked Iran's Azeri minority and led to riots in northwestern cities.

The government Press Supervisory Board shut down the daily newspaper Iran because the cartoon was "divisive and provocative," state television reported. The newspaper is published by the official IRNA news agency and is among the country's most popular and influential newspapers.

The cartoon, published Friday, showed a boy repeating the Persian word for cockroach in different ways, while a cockroach in front of the boy asked "What?" in Turkish Azeri.

It was drawn by a well-known cartoonist, Mana Neyestani, who was arrested Tuesday. The newspaper's editor in chief, Mehrdad Qasemfar, was also arrested, and both were sent to Evin prison to await trial, Tehran's chief prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi, told state television on Tuesday.

State television said the newspaper had been shut down indefinitely, but reporters at other Iranian newspapers said the journalists at Iran planned to go back to work on Wednesday because they did not expect it to be closed for long. The paper's publication was suspended for a day five years ago under President Mohammad Khatami, at a time when the judiciary was cracking down on reformist newspapers.

The cartoon set off some of the worst ethnic protests in northwestern Iran since the revolution in 1979. That part of the country is where a majority of Azeri Turks live, and students there staged demonstrations in Ardebil, Zanjan, Tabriz, Orumieh and several smaller cities. The protests reached their height on Tuesday, and while there were no reports of injuries, the main bazaars in Tabriz and Orumieh were closed early this week.

The semiofficial Iranian Labor News Agency reported that thousands protested in downtown Tabriz on Monday and pelted the governor's office with stones. After several hours, the police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, it said. Some 54 people were arrested, the Iranian Student News Agency reported.

The minister of culture and Islamic guidance, Mohammad Hussein Saffar-Harandi, appeared on television on Monday to apologize for the cartoon. But an Azeri member of Parliament, Eshrat Shaeq, said the apology came too late, adding that she was collecting signatures to impeach the minister.

Other ethnic minorities, including Arabs, Kurds and Baluchis, have staged protests in the past year as political dissent in the nation has risen.

Hamidreza Jalaipour, a professor of sociology at Tehran University, said the cartoon was only an excuse for the protests.

"The cartoon could not have been the only reason for the protests," he said. "People are unhappy with political and social conditions.

"The intellectuals have been alienated, and the new management is not capable of dealing with such circumstances," he added, referring to the administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who took office last August.

Azeri Turks make up a quarter of Iran's population. Jokes about Turks, Jews and other minorities are common, but they are rarely published in official media.

Students held demonstrations at four major universities in Tehran on Tuesday, but each protest was for a different reason.

Demonstrations are expected to continue Wednesday.
Philosopy
24-05-2006, 13:28
God help the poor guy who drew the cartoons. One suspects that he won't have that long left to draw many other things. :(
Neu Leonstein
24-05-2006, 13:28
Now, instead of encouraging Iranians to riot over Danish cartoons, Iran had to shut down its OWN newspaper. LMAO!
At least it's consistent.
Now, if they hadn't shut down the paper, you'd have accused them of hypocrisy. There's really no way they could've done the right thing in your eyes.
Psychotic Mongooses
24-05-2006, 13:33
Good on them.
San haiti
24-05-2006, 13:46
Do we get to see the cartoon?
Gravlen
24-05-2006, 13:57
Why is this funny? :confused:
IL Ruffino
24-05-2006, 14:29
Iranians will be Iranians.. if they keep this up, they are getting no dessert tonight.
Kazus
24-05-2006, 15:14
If you piss people off you should probably expect a reaction.
IL Ruffino
24-05-2006, 15:21
If you piss people off you should probably expect a reaction.
It's a cartoon.
British Stereotypes
24-05-2006, 15:29
If you piss people off you should probably expect a reaction.
Oh, really? I'll have to remember that...
Kazus
24-05-2006, 15:32
It's a cartoon.

So fucking what? Look how angry the bible thumpers are at Da Vinci Code...ITS A FUCKING MOVIE.

I will reiterate. If you piss someone off, you should probably expect a reaction. I am not saying anyone is more right or wrong than the other. If you piss someone off, they might react to it.
Kanabia
24-05-2006, 15:33
At least it's consistent.
Now, if they hadn't shut down the paper, you'd have accused them of hypocrisy. There's really no way they could've done the right thing in your eyes.

Yup.
Szanth
24-05-2006, 15:36
...

This one wasn't even about Muhammed, and they rioted anyfuckingway.


God damnit people make me angry... like there's just a fucking switch, and it's either "off" or "FUCKINGRIOTOMGLETSBURNSHIT" - NO INBETWEEN!


Damnit now I'm pissed off, I have to drink some grape juice.
Psychotic Mongooses
24-05-2006, 18:33
This one wasn't even about Muhammed, and they rioted anyfuckingway.


It was about ethnic slurs against minorities in their own country. A much better reason to protest/complain/burnthings in my opinion.

Kinda reminds me of the 'satirical' cartoons from the Victorian Punch magazine when dealing with the Irish.
RLI Returned
24-05-2006, 18:40
...

This one wasn't even about Muhammed, and they rioted anyfuckingway.


God damnit people make me angry... like there's just a fucking switch, and it's either "off" or "FUCKINGRIOTOMGLETSBURNSHIT" - NO INBETWEEN!


Damnit now I'm pissed off, I have to drink some grape juice.

You have to realise that for young people in countries like Iran riots are the only chance they get to meet other young people of the opposite sex. When you get that much repressed sexual desire it just spills out and they have to find an excuse for a riot.

I wrote a short parody called 'The Jihadist Who Loved Me' and posted it on NS not that long ago, I'll see if I can find the link.
Fan Grenwick
24-05-2006, 19:49
COMMENTARY: This time the shoe is on the other foot. Iran's Azeri minority rioted over an Iranian state-owned newspaper's cartoon. Now, instead of encouraging Iranians to riot over Danish cartoons, Iran had to shut down its OWN newspaper. LMAO!


Iran Shuts Down Newspaper Over Cartoon (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/24/world/middleeast/24iran.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin)


By NAZILA FATHI
Published: May 24, 2006
TEHRAN, May 23 — The government shut down one of its official newspapers on Tuesday for publishing a cartoon that mocked Iran's Azeri minority and led to riots in northwestern cities.

The government Press Supervisory Board shut down the daily newspaper Iran because the cartoon was "divisive and provocative," state television reported. The newspaper is published by the official IRNA news agency and is among the country's most popular and influential newspapers.

The cartoon, published Friday, showed a boy repeating the Persian word for cockroach in different ways, while a cockroach in front of the boy asked "What?" in Turkish Azeri.

It was drawn by a well-known cartoonist, Mana Neyestani, who was arrested Tuesday. The newspaper's editor in chief, Mehrdad Qasemfar, was also arrested, and both were sent to Evin prison to await trial, Tehran's chief prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi, told state television on Tuesday.

State television said the newspaper had been shut down indefinitely, but reporters at other Iranian newspapers said the journalists at Iran planned to go back to work on Wednesday because they did not expect it to be closed for long. The paper's publication was suspended for a day five years ago under President Mohammad Khatami, at a time when the judiciary was cracking down on reformist newspapers.

The cartoon set off some of the worst ethnic protests in northwestern Iran since the revolution in 1979. That part of the country is where a majority of Azeri Turks live, and students there staged demonstrations in Ardebil, Zanjan, Tabriz, Orumieh and several smaller cities. The protests reached their height on Tuesday, and while there were no reports of injuries, the main bazaars in Tabriz and Orumieh were closed early this week.

The semiofficial Iranian Labor News Agency reported that thousands protested in downtown Tabriz on Monday and pelted the governor's office with stones. After several hours, the police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, it said. Some 54 people were arrested, the Iranian Student News Agency reported.

The minister of culture and Islamic guidance, Mohammad Hussein Saffar-Harandi, appeared on television on Monday to apologize for the cartoon. But an Azeri member of Parliament, Eshrat Shaeq, said the apology came too late, adding that she was collecting signatures to impeach the minister.

Other ethnic minorities, including Arabs, Kurds and Baluchis, have staged protests in the past year as political dissent in the nation has risen.

Hamidreza Jalaipour, a professor of sociology at Tehran University, said the cartoon was only an excuse for the protests.

"The cartoon could not have been the only reason for the protests," he said. "People are unhappy with political and social conditions.

"The intellectuals have been alienated, and the new management is not capable of dealing with such circumstances," he added, referring to the administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who took office last August.

Azeri Turks make up a quarter of Iran's population. Jokes about Turks, Jews and other minorities are common, but they are rarely published in official media.

Students held demonstrations at four major universities in Tehran on Tuesday, but each protest was for a different reason.

Demonstrations are expected to continue Wednesday.

Don't forget about the Catholic church and their members protesting the release of movies. It may not end up in a riot, but it's the same basic principle.
The South Islands
24-05-2006, 19:53
Don't forget about the Catholic church and their members protesting the release of movies. It may not end up in a riot, but it's the same basic principle.

Funneh, I haven't seen Catholics protesting in the streets around here. Or burning things. Or throwing stones. Or breaking windows.
Sumamba Buwhan
24-05-2006, 20:01
hilarious isnt it?


...no
Greyenivol Colony
24-05-2006, 20:15
No part of this situation is funny. Members of the Azeri minority have been racially abused, and the people responsible for it are in all likelihood going to be denied their livelihood over this permenantly.

And all so you can go "lolz, teh irony, even though it's not even ironic but I'm to stupid/racist to care."

In conclusion, shut up.