In the days following the recent and contentious election results in Iran where incumbent Presidential candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinajad appears to have secured re-election, the country and specifically Tehran has been occupied by popular civilian protests and disobedience. Although the protests seem to be petering out according to some sources, the resistance is arguably far from over. Yet, what the protests to date have thus far demonstrated is the importance of the internet in galvanizing protesters.
Through the internet, many amongst the Iranian expatriate community in various states have participated, in a remote sense, to the activism of their in-country counterparts. For instance, the tragic murder of Neda Agha-Soltan, whose death was captured on digital video was transmitted and spread throughout cyberspace with the assistance of those outside Iran. Undoubtedely, Iranian authorities would rather have kept such imagery contained but ultimately state censors could not prevent its escape. As many have commented, Ms. Agha-Soltan has become an important face of the state's brutal represssion campaign.
Such videos and other messages flowing out of attempted censored zones are in a sense, whistleblower testimony from the inside as to what is transpiring. Many obstacles are often placed in their way and they reveal information at great personal risk to themselves and their families. The creation and dissemination of critical information in Iran and in other circumstances presents an important tool for resistance. First, it is an act of resistance itself - for it is otherwise unlawful to be spreading such information. Second, it serves as a tool for galvanizing and stirring further resistance against the object(s) of the resistance.
Source:
Stelter and Brad Stone, "Web Pries Lid of Iranian Censorship" New York Times, June 22, 2009. Online: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/world/middleeast/23censor.html
Through the internet, many amongst the Iranian expatriate community in various states have participated, in a remote sense, to the activism of their in-country counterparts. For instance, the tragic murder of Neda Agha-Soltan, whose death was captured on digital video was transmitted and spread throughout cyberspace with the assistance of those outside Iran. Undoubtedely, Iranian authorities would rather have kept such imagery contained but ultimately state censors could not prevent its escape. As many have commented, Ms. Agha-Soltan has become an important face of the state's brutal represssion campaign.
Such videos and other messages flowing out of attempted censored zones are in a sense, whistleblower testimony from the inside as to what is transpiring. Many obstacles are often placed in their way and they reveal information at great personal risk to themselves and their families. The creation and dissemination of critical information in Iran and in other circumstances presents an important tool for resistance. First, it is an act of resistance itself - for it is otherwise unlawful to be spreading such information. Second, it serves as a tool for galvanizing and stirring further resistance against the object(s) of the resistance.
Source:
Stelter and Brad Stone, "Web Pries Lid of Iranian Censorship" New York Times, June 22, 2009. Online: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/world/middleeast/23censor.html
No comments:
Post a Comment