Thursday, August 23, 2007

Iran Canes Man for Having Sex, Drinking

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The Jawa Report is banned in Iran for reporting on things like public lashings and the hanging of 16 year old girls for crimes such as making love, or fighting back against your rapist. Heh, the moderate Muslim State of Iran, looks like a repressive dictatorship to me.Via The Daily Mail:
His face covered by a balaclava, an official brandishing a cane repeatedly lashes the back of a man found guilty of breaking Iran's morality laws.

Two police officers hold the legs of 25-year-old Saeed Ghanbari and another his arms to ensure there is no escape from the punishment of 80 lashes handed down by a religious court.

Traffic was brought to a halt in Qazvin, 90 miles west of the capital Tehran, as more than 1,000 men gathered behind barricades to watch the public flogging...

...One police officer held his hands together beneath the bench, two others gripped his legs to ensure there was little movement.

Two police officers stood-by, their faces covered with balaclavas - each to administer 40 lashes.

Both men then lashed Ghanbari, taking the cane back behind their heads to guarantee maximum impact, each stroke leaving a distinctive red mark and bruising on his back.

Several wounds began to bleed.

It was unclear exactly what his offence had been as the country's strict morality laws cover many areas, but it was reported he had been convicted of abusing alcohol and having sex outside of marriage.
Somehow I fail to find much about Sharia law that is in any way moderate. But there is resistance amongst the people of Iran against the hard line religious regime. See this video for example.
Video hat tip to Gerald. If you are like me, you probably had a bit of trouble understanding what was said in the video. Garduneh Mehr has graciously provided us with these links about Iran shelling and massing troops on the border with Iraqi Kurdistan and also a full translation of the video above as well.

Here's a bit of background needed to understand the context of poem.
The poem is by a great Iranian philosopher named "Hafez" who from childhood had been raised to be a Muslim scholar. However, as he matured and investigated Islam, he grew increasing disgusted with it and rather than promoting Islam he started encouraging the Iranian people to relearn our ancient pre-Islamic faith of Zoroaster. Needless to say this raised the ire of the Islamist who subjected him to decades of torment and exile. Despite this Hafez continued his subtly anti-Islam and pro-Iran message to the end of his life.
"Glad tidings that the days of sorrow will pass."
"All things pass and this [day of sorrow] too will yet pass."
"The song of the Court of Jamshid [a mythical king] it is said was this: Fetch the King a chalice of wine for the King too will pass."
"Upon the tablet of wisdom it is engraved that all but the goodness of the righteous will pass."
"You who are proud of your present might, your wealth and might too will pass."
"[Heavenly] inspiration reassures me that the suffering of the meek and the iniquity of the tyrant too will pass."
"I may have endured humiliation at the hands of my enemy; yet my enemy will taste greater humiliation."
"Where the tyrant puts the innocent to the sword, no one's dignity is safe."
"Be reassured fragile butterfly that your anguish will not last the night."
"... Be reassured Hafez that every vesitge of tyranny too shall yet pass."
I guess the guy above should count himself lucky he was not a woman accused of adultry.
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For helping us out so much, I hereby issue an official Jawa Report Fatwa against Garduneh. Unlike the Mullahs of Iran, we won't be issuing and lashes with that. Did I mention The Jawa Report is banned in Iran?

PS. I also owe Cube Neighbor Dave a Hat Tip for the Iranian lashing story and Image, via no linky Drudge.

Original Iran Canes Man for Having Sex, Drinking post here at The Jawa Report.