This must be a job for SuperKevin…

Kika says:

12:14pm | 11/10/11

What has Islam got to do with it? You can make videos in lots of Islamic countries without fear of retribution. I think it’s having a facist dictatorship at the helm that’s the issue ERICK.

Ghost says:

12:26pm | 11/10/11

@Kika

Erick hasn’t let cold hard facts get in the way of his point of view and he’s not about to start now.

andye says:

12:44pm | 11/10/11

Erick - I’ve known a man who was arrested in Iran for being a commie. He and his wife were tortured in front of each other in prison. He was a kind and gentle man - an artist who painted the walls of kindergartens in Tehran for the children. A few years back he opened his veins in the bathtub and left us. Although his body had been free of the prison for many years his mind could never truly escape.

I have also have friends who were sentenced to lashes for such terrible crimes as being alone in a car with a non-related member of the opposite sex or being at a party. The system being as corrupt as it is, the wealthy can buy each lash instead of receiving it.

Iran is a beautiful country full of amazing generous people… and some of the loveliest women in the world. They live under a terrible oppressive regime. Look at the protests in Tehran recently, and the girl who was shot and killed. They want to be free.

Its got nothing to do with Islam and everything to do with freedom.

FREE IRAN.

fml says:

12:45pm | 11/10/11

The situation with the Iranian woman, is a perfect example to gauge the motives of people who post here.

The iranian people hate the iranian regime, lets see who people here blame, the iranian people or the evil theocracy which controls their actions and perpetuates unjust punishment on their people.

Erick says:

02:25pm | 11/10/11

@andye - On the contrary, I think everything that happened to your friends is part and parcel of the Islamic fundamentalism that rules Iran.

andye says:

03:19pm | 11/10/11

@Erick - If they get rid of the theocracy Iran would still be an “Islamic” country. The problem is that the government and the religion are the same thing. Give the Iranians true democracy and watch the reforms and freedom blossom. The problem is the regime. Yes it is an Islamic regime, but what needs to be removed from Iran is oppression, not their religion.

Dave says:

04:17pm | 11/10/11

Wow, Erick gets to show his ignornance of Islam again, as well as his ignorance of Iran. If we’re talking about “Islam” Erick would that be shia islam or sunni islam - shi’ites being the minority and Iran being mostly shi’ite. Then are we talking Iranian shia’ism or the other shia’s (which are, in practice different). Then are we talking about the mass of highly educated Iranian youth, who generally speak several languages and would make Erick look a very dull boy, indeed - and who also throw great parties by the way: just not in public, or are we talking about the minority of clerics and their supporters? Erick and his magic generaliser gun at work again there. If it wasnt so pathetic he might actually be amusing…But interesting that he’s backtracked a bit - “part of the islamic fundamentalism that rules Iran”? Maybe, but then most Iranians are nowhere close to being fundamentalist, although nearly all are muslims. So, Erick changes his words while trying to give the impression he hasnt. I’ll take that as a confession that the first statement was wrong and dumb and I’ll give you a bit of credit for that, anyway, Erick.

Erick says:

04:25pm | 11/10/11

@andye - But the oppression in Iran *is* the religion. It’s an Islamic theocracy run on the basis of enforcing Islamic law.

Soames says:

04:59pm | 11/10/11

Is that a question about Islam being racist, or a personal affront about criticism of Islam?

andye says:

07:24pm | 11/10/11

@Erick - I have to agree with the comments by @dave. I’ve been to Iran a few times and I can tell you that the revolutionary true believers are the minority. Sure, they are a minority with a big stick, but the minority. This is more the case in Tehran than more rural areas. Some cities like Qom are more hardline.

Meanwhile in north Tehran the kids are having underground raves. If both alcohol and drugs are illegal, guess which is the easiest to smuggle in? Also the population in Iran skews dramatically to the young. Something like 70% are under 30.

Anyway, lots of those kids consider themselves “Muslim” in the same way lots of people who never go to church list themselves as some form of Christianity in the census. I mean my parents always said we were church of England but its not like we ever went to church. Even many that consider themselves more strongly Muslim don’t want to adhere to all those rules.

The biggest issue for these people is the religious laws and lack of freedom. I talked to an older woman in a chador with someone translating. She said that she though the kids should be able to wear whatever they want. She didn’t understand why it was the law.

Robert Smissen Of rural SA says:

05:12pm | 12/10/11

Eric, critisising Islam is NOT racism, it is religious intolerance, get it right

Steve says:

02:11pm | 11/10/11

Hey, I voted Green and am more disgusted at the Iranian regime than any other on earth. The Iranian people I’ve met have all been fantastic and completely detest their government.

To tar all people that voted Green with the same brush is like saying everyone who votes Labor is a union lackey, and every who votes Liberal is a north shore private school churchie virgin.

James In Footscray says:

03:52pm | 11/10/11

Reddragon, I’m not a Greens fan at all.  But I admire Brown and Hanson-Young for speaking out about human rights, for example in China, Singapore and Saudi Arabia. Labor and the Libs don’t dare.

Mahhrat says:

12:46pm | 11/10/11

Good point, this.

Frank says:

02:18pm | 11/10/11

Are you sure? do you remember Chapelle?? did she get a slap on the wrist? and this kid has to face the fact that everyone in the Country and possibly the world knows that he is a drug addict (or pothead however you want to portray him) and was stupid enough to get caught in the Country with some of the toughest anti-drug laws in the world?? I think that more people should be asking where his parents where and why they thought that he would be ok alone on the streets of Bali with all the other cases of Australians being arrested?? especially taking to consideration he was being rehabiliated for his drug addiction? sound so innocent now? I have lost any consideration that this ‘kid’ is innocent and now with a slap on the wrist he’s gonna go the way of Corey Worthington (remember him, lol) and get his 15 mins before getting shoved back into obscurity

Shawry says:

04:00pm | 11/10/11

Frank, I absolutely condemn the boy, and his family, for disgracing themselves and Australians more broadly by his total lack of respect for his hosts, the Balinese. I despise that our politicians have chosen to further that disrespect by suggesting we can bully his freedom and for the public campaigns that suggest he shouldn’t be accountable to Indonesian law because he is an Aussie. That is disgraceful. However, for this sort of offence, had this not been turned into the Rudd/Gillard/Herald Sun Freakshow, he would in all liklihood already have been released and his family sent home with a “Please don’t come back”. By trying to make personal miles out of it, everyone has forced the Indonesians to prove they can’t be bullied. Their system is what it is and should be respected and allowed to run its course.

Reg says:

04:17pm | 11/10/11

@ Frank

Is that Dave Chapelle you are talking about? “I’m Rick James b*tch!”

As for Schapelle Corby, once the media turned the story into a full blown circus the chances of a quiet “fine”, as it were, being paid to make this go away were shot.

Her lawyer basically admitted this (without actually saying it) and said the media and political spotlight on it scared the locals into taking a hard line approach.

The rest is history.

Frank says:

02:34pm | 11/10/11

Surely you are not comparing the ALP with Iran? who have murdered countless people and locked people up indefinately under Sharia Law? are you serious? That’s like saying well Julia is about as fascist as Hitler…your assertion is just annoying really, and grossly over stated…

Against the Man says:

04:39pm | 11/10/11

So Frank you get my point

Shawry says:

12:49pm | 11/10/11

Why would you ask this Andye? Tahini is traced back to ancient Persia, which is now Iran. And Mahmoud is the name of Iran’s president. What is your point?

andye says:

01:14pm | 11/10/11

@Shawry - Hummus isn’t really Persian. you might be right about the origins of Tahini, but it isn’t really stereotypically Persian now. The food references seemed much more Arab to me. I used to make a pretty mean Chelo Kebab so I do know a little about the cuisine!

I know who Mahmoud is… he is a dim bumpkin in charge of a large country and military who is waiting for Jesus to return. So basically George Bush with a tan.

Frank says:

02:24pm | 11/10/11

ummm Andye…Mahmoud is the guy that has denied the holocaust as a ‘Western Conspiracy’ who does not accept the soverignty of Israel, and you say that he is waiting for a Jewish Messiah? sounds a bit odd to me oh wait are you taking the piss as well?

andye says:

03:13pm | 11/10/11

@Frank - You could google this, you know. He is absolutely waiting for Jesus.

Ahmadinejad’s words: “All Prophets called for the worship of God, for love and brotherhood, for the establishment of justice and for love in human society. Jesus, the Son of Mary, is the standard-bearer of justice, of love for our fellow human beings, of the fight against tyranny, discrimination and injustice
...
We believe Jesus Christ will return, together with one of the children of the revered Messenger of Islam and will lead the world to love, brotherhood and justice.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/25/ahmadinejad-christmas-message

fml says:

12:53pm | 11/10/11

Ahmedinejad is a puppet, the real evil sit behind closed doors. Its the Ayatollahs that are the real problem.

If only Mossadegh wasnt deposed in the 50’s.

Nic says:

04:54pm | 11/10/11

A very important point a lot of people miss FML.

To think that not 50 years ago the USA and UK got rid of the last of the Persian Monarchs, someone who was while a tyrant at least making progressive steps towards democracy and peace…

Anna C says:

02:49pm | 11/10/11

fml, firstly we will never ban the burqa in Australia contrary to many people’s wishes because our politicians are too gutless to do so.

Secondly if we ever did manage it, we wouldn’t be imprisoning women for wearing the burqa. This is not Iran and we don’t go around imprisoning people for trivial offences. Don’t go over dramatising things.

fml says:

03:07pm | 11/10/11

Maybe not imprisonment AnnaC, but the crux of the issue is freedom, the only variation is in the severity of the punishment. If both being in a movie, and wearing a burqa had the same punishment, a law for either would be unjust and against the fibre of democracy. That is my point.

Why do you hate freedom so much?

Mickey T says:

01:53pm | 11/10/11

I think you will find Anthony Sharwood’s middle names are ‘taking the piss’. I would recommend not taking Ant’s articles too seriously.

andye says:

02:20pm | 11/10/11

@davo - These are people who risked their freedom and physical well-being to get out an important message about a a nation who are oppressed under a theocratic regime.

You are sitting safe and happy in your western country getting out an important message about…. apathy. Good work, mate.

Lloyd says:

05:13pm | 11/10/11

Well said Andye. Apathy is a terrible thing, “Davo”. Think outside the box, mate.

subotic says:

08:25am | 12/10/11

Have to agree with davo of Thorneside on this.

Islam sets the laws. It’s not about what’s right, or humane, or even ‘fair’.

@Andye, Marzieh Vafamehr was raised in Iran, knew the laws, and chose to break them. Regardless of “why” she chose to break them, the law is the law. Australians need to keep out of trying to impose their laws and standards on other countries. I don’t care if you think Iranian laws suck, and you can sure as eggs sunshine that the Iranian government doesn’t give half a fly-blown camel’s ass about what you think about their laws either. You are dealing with a backward thinking race of nomadic, inbred, tent dwelling misogynists and you want them to do “the right and sensible 21st century thing”? Where the hell do you get off Andye? I mean, really?

Australian’s need to appreciate the fact that “our way” isn’t the rest of the planet’s way, and isn’t always the “right way” either.

The world already has Team America - World Police. We sure as don’t need another.

Close your eyes kids, or walk on the other side of the street.

HappyCynic says:

03:54pm | 11/10/11

What about as a human being?  Are you really so selfish and self-serving that you’d ignore the plight of another human being, especially if you were in a position where you might be able to help?

How cruel.

Q Bert says:

04:22pm | 11/10/11

@ HappyCynic

But if she is not an Australian citizen why would the Iranians listen to the Australian Foreign Minister…?

Is it because she starred in an Australian film? Lots of foreign actors have done that.

stephen says:

07:18pm | 12/10/11

What about human being(s) ?
Twenty Coptic Christians get their lives cut short in Egypt by rampaging Muslims, and not a peep from our Foreign Minister.
Are we scared of Muslims, or what ?

Frank says:

02:49pm | 11/10/11

He has broken a law in Bali that has harsher penalties than he would ever get in Australia, this is the same point…The penalty is far more harsh this has nothing to do with whether she has committed a crime or not, its the penalty for expressing her opinion in a free country by a despotic dictator, as ‘the crime’ occured within Australia of course Kevin Rudd could intervene.

Shawry says:

04:05pm | 11/10/11

Are you sure this was filmed in Australia? Part of the dispute and charge is about whether they had permits to film so that suggests at least some of it was filmed in Iran.

fml says:

05:41pm | 11/10/11

Well, if she wasnt a citizen then she really didnt have much of a choice.

If she ever comes back she would probably have a strong chance of gaining asylum. Then you would have people claiming she is an economic refugee. The threat of persecution is obviously real though.

You know it says:

05:49pm | 11/10/11

He’ll demand some specifiproxical complimentitude or by christ there’ll be reciprocavitations!

fml says:

09:59am | 12/10/11

couple of things,

Africa isnt a country,
This isnt about war,
Iran hasnt started a war for a couple of hundred of years.

Its about an unjust religious theocracy trying to keep power and human rights abuses.