Comments on: Iran: president calls for ‘fair investigations’ for Saberi and Derakhshan http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2009/04/iran-president-calls-for-fair-investigationss-for-saberi-and-derakhshan/ for free expression Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:40:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lisa Goldman http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2009/04/iran-president-calls-for-fair-investigationss-for-saberi-and-derakhshan/comment-page-1/#comment-1255 Lisa Goldman Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:47:04 +0000 http://www.indexoncensorship.org/?p=2025#comment-1255 Hossein Derakhshan, a regime apologist who attacked Iranian political dissidents and feminists for daring to advocate regime reform, has been been shortlisted for a freedom of expression award? While I certainly wish Hoder no physical harm, and hope that he will soon be released from jail, I am horrified that he has been shortlisted for a freedom of expression award. Does anyone on the committee know that his vitriolic attacks on Shirin Ebadi, Akbar Ganji and Ramin Jahanbeglooo were quoted by pro-regime Iranian news outlets like Keyhan News? I can only assume that the nominating committee is either ignorant of Derakhshan's reputation, or that it has been co-opted in some way. Either way, this does not speak well of the Freedom of Expression Award's credibility. Hossein Derakhshan, a regime apologist who attacked Iranian political dissidents and feminists for daring to advocate regime reform, has been been shortlisted for a freedom of expression award?

While I certainly wish Hoder no physical harm, and hope that he will soon be released from jail, I am horrified that he has been shortlisted for a freedom of expression award. Does anyone on the committee know that his vitriolic attacks on Shirin Ebadi, Akbar Ganji and Ramin Jahanbeglooo were quoted by pro-regime Iranian news outlets like Keyhan News?

I can only assume that the nominating committee is either ignorant of Derakhshan’s reputation, or that it has been co-opted in some way. Either way, this does not speak well of the Freedom of Expression Award’s credibility.

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