1000 GMT: CyberWatch. The regime's censorship of websites has long drawn criticism, but here's a twist --- now it is being denounced by a group of hard-line cyberactivists loyal to the clerical establishment.
In an online statement, the cyberactivists said the selective filtering of hard-line content and the detentions of those running websites were "irrational", warning of damage to the country's "holy" cyberwar.
"What is the common reason for the blocking of 'Teribon', 'Serat', and 'Bibak'? Does the criticism of one of the establishment's top officials deserve such dealing?" the statement challenged.
In recent weeks, there have been a series of reports that sites supporting President Ahmadinejad and his inner circle have been blocked inside Iran.
0730 GMT: The six-month prison sentence imposed on activist Faezeh Hashemi, the daughter of former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, has been confirmed by a Revolutionary Court.
Hashemi, arrested during last year's protests, is accused of "propaganda against the system". She has also been banned for five years from political and media activities.
0650 GMT: The bickering within the Iranian system eased during the protracted counting/manufacturing of votes in the Parliamentary election, but it is back with a flourish.
Courtesy of current MPs, reports on Tuesday said Ahmadinejad is expected in Parliament for interrogation next Wednesday. However, Vice President Mohammad Reza Mirtajoddini said, "Nothing is definite and the time is to be decided by the President himself.
Ahmadinejad challenged the Guardian Council on Wednesday, appointing members to a body to supervise the Constitution. The Council had declared the supervising panel "illegal".
Conservative MP Elyas Naderan, a leading critic of the President, wrote in an article on Alef --- the website of another critical MP, Ahmad Tavakoli, that the Islamic Constancy/Resistance Front is the "deviant current" which considers the parliament as a “platform" for not only the Presidency but, more worringly, activities beyond that.
The Constancy Front won 60 of the 225 seats declared in the first round of balloting; however, 54 of those went to candidates who also ran for the "rival" Unity Front.
Tavakoli was also in the headlines on Wednesday, having accused 1st Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi of involvement with a "Great Fraud" in a speech last week. Rahimi has now filed a legal complaint over the remarks.
Ayatollah Gharavi, a member of Qom's Theological Lecturers Association, said, "Unfortunately in the current social atmosphere, destruction and extremism exists. Worse, some of these extremisms and destruction are under cover of support for the Supreme Leader and begin in Qom."
Posted via email from lissping
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