[huridocs-tech] Two Iranians win best free expression blog prize

Press release Reporters Without Borders 
12 November 2006 

Reporters Without Borders has awarded two Iranians a joint prize for the
best blog defending freedom of expression, as part of an international
blog competition organised by Deutsche Welle (www.thebobs.com).

Awarding the prize to "Kosoof" and Hamed Mottaghi, the worldwide press
freedom organisation said the two fought for free expression in a country
which flagrantly censors the Internet and imprisons Internet-users who
criticise the government too openly.

The organisation also publishes a list of eight other blogs nominated in
this category, since they all represent windows of freedom in their
countries.

"The Iranian government tightly controls the traditional media and blocks
access to websites which displease it. The work of these two bloggers, who
get independent information into circulation in the country, is therefore
particularly important", the organisation said.

"We want to pay tribute to all Iranian Internet-users who fight against
censorship. Because they know that in their country, as in other countries
which are 'Enemies of the Internet', expressing oneself too freely on a
blog can lead to prison.

"It should not be forgotten that one blogger, Arash Sigarchi, is now
behind bars for his online articles and for a few interviews which he gave
to foreign radio stations," it said.

The winners: 

Kosoof (www.kosoof.com) is a photoblog. It covers demonstrations held in
the capital Tehran and posts portraits of many Iranian intellectuals and
political dissidents. The blog demonstrates that some photos do more for
freedom of expression than thousands of words.

Hamed Mottaghi (http://hamedmottaghi.blogfa.com), former head of news
website Naghshineh, which was closed on the order of the authorities, uses
his blog to expose human rights abuses. He takes up courageous positions
in support of imprisoned dissidents and has been particularly active in
the campaign for the release of journalist Akbar Ganji.

Other nominations in the "freedom of expression" category of the "Bobs"

Russia: A blog run by Vera Vasilieva (http://sivilia.livejournal.com)
follows the Youkos" case, the billionaire opponent of Vladimir Putin,
imprisoned for corruption. It is a major source of information on this
sensitive case, which is rarely raised by traditional Russian media. Her
work has a particular meaning and significance in his country where free
expression declines every year.

Tunisia: "Fikra" (http://kitab.nl) follows Tunisian politics and human
rights abuses in the country. The blog, run by a Tunisian living in exile
in the Netherlands, is censored in Tunisia.

China: Zheng Jinyan is the wife of Hu Jia, a renowned activist imprisoned
several times and currently under house arrest. In her blog
(http://zengjinyan.spaces.live.com), she gives a daily account of her life
during her husband’s periods of detention as well as the steps being
taken to secure his release.

United States: "The revolution will be televised" (www.joshwolf.net/blog)
is a blog run by Josh Wolf, a young activist who is in prison for refusing
to provide the courts with footage from one of his video reports. His
imprisonment comes at a time of a general deterioration in freedom of
expression in the United States.

Egypt: "Torture in Egypt" (http://tortureinegypt.net) reports on cases of
torture carried out by the Egyptian authorities. Singapore: "Yawning
Bread" (www.yawningbread.org) defends the rights of homosexuals in this
country with a free-thinking and original take on a particularly delicate
subject in south-east Asia.

Brazil: "Alcinea Cavalcante" (http://alcineacavalcante.blogspot.com) has
become the standard-bearer for free expression on the Internet in Brazil,
since a candidate to the Senate, Jose Sarney, sued it for posting a
caricature of him on the blog.

Netherlands: "Wij blijven Hier" (www.wijblijvenhier.nl) is a blog run by
young Dutch Muslims who talk about their daily lives, to break through the
prejudice against the Muslim community in their country.





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