Twitter targetted by pro-Iranian hackers

Social networking website Twitter, along with the pro-opposition website mowjcamp.org, has been targeted by a group of pro-government hackers calling themselves the Iranian Cyber Army accordning. Both websites, which became focal points for the mobilisation of anti-government protests, were reportedly replaced with a message stating that “this site has been hacked by the Iranian Cyber Army”, followed by an anti-American statement mocking perceived attempts by the US to “control” Iran’s internet. Read more here

Iran: protesters arrested over torn Khomeini picture

Several people have been arrested in Tehran over the tearing up of a picture of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini,  during anti-government demonstrations last week. State television broadcast footage of what it claimed were opposition supporters tearing up and trampling on a picture of Khomeini during an anti-government student-led demonstration. All of those arrested are currently being held in detention although Iranian authorities have refused to give names or numbers. Read more here

Iran: crackdown on protests and coverage

Iranian authorities have threatened tougher action on protesters after tens of thousands marched at universities across the country in the biggest anti-government rallies since the disputed June elections. Dozens of people are reported to have been arrested after violent confrontations. Foreign journalists were banned from reporting on the rallies, and the Iranian authorities closed down mobile phone networks and severely restricted internet access. According to The Times dozens of government agents on motorbikes have surrounded the Tehran office of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the opposition leader, to prevent him attending rallies and the country’s chief prosecutor is threatening to arrest him.  Read more here

An Iranian Odyssey

This is a guest post by Jenni Hulse

Last night, Index on Censorship hosted a screening of An Iranian Odyssey: Mossadegh, Oil and the 1953 CIA Coup, directed by Canadian-Iranian journalist and filmmaker, Maziar Bahari.

The film played to a full house, with latecomers finding room in the aisles. The atmosphere felt particularly celebratory as the screening had originally been arranged as part of a campaign for Bahari’s release, after he was detained in Tehran’s Evin prison in June. Happily, he was freed without charge on 17 October and allowed to return to the UK.
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