Day: June 17, 2009

Oregon Men Sentenced for ‘KKK’ Hate Crime – Ku Klux Klan

(U.S.) Oregon Men Sentenced for ‘KKK’ Hate Crime
— U.S. Attorney’s Office Press Release
— Two Medford men sentenced in civil rights case
—- “Two men have been sentenced to federal prison after burning the image of a cross and the letters KKK into the front lawn of an African American family’s home in Medford, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said today”
—- “Gary Moss was sentenced to 41 months and Devan Klausegger was sentenced to 51 months. Both men are from Medford. “

Florida: Palm Bay church vandalism sign of ugly tide

(U.S.) Florida: Palm Bay church vandalism sign of ugly tide
— “It happened at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Palm Bay when a deacon arrived and found anti-Christian slogans, swastikas and anti-Semitic signs spray-painted on the walls, police say”
— “The groups are finding sympathizers in Brevard where the Ku Klux Klan distributed pamphlets in Titusville in February”

Saudi Arabia: Police arrest ‘homosexuals’ at party — based on Extremist Sharia law

Saudi Arabia: Police arrest ‘homosexuals’ at party
— 71 arrested in Riyadh according to al-Quds al-Arabi report
— “Several residents are reported to have notified police about people who were doing things that did ‘not conform’ with Islamic sharia law.”
— homosexuality “treated as serious crimes”
— Saudi Arabia “insists that it always acts in accordance with Sunni Islamic law”

— Filipino men detained in KSA for gay behavior
— “when the government feels that homosexuals are challenging state authority, the maximum punishment for the act is public execution”
— “Normally, however, the authorities impose other punishments such as fines, imprisonment, and whipping”

— “LGBT rights in Saudi Arabia are not recognized”
— “The Saudi Constitution does not provide for a right to privacy.”

—- June 4, 2009 –  Saudi Arabia: US lawmakers slam Saudi for teaching ‘hatred’

Iran Reports – June 17, 2009

Iran prosecutor warns of death penalty — “under Islamic law”
— “An Iranian provincial prosecutor has warned that the ‘few elements’ behind post-election unrest  could face the death penalty under Islamic law, an Iranian news agency reported on Wednesday.”
— Mohammadreza Habibi: “We warn the few elements controlled by foreigners who try to disrupt domestic security by inciting individuals to destroy and to commit arson that the Islamic penal code for such individuals waging war against God is execution”
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2009/June/middleeast_June516.xml&section=middleeast

Iran’s Internet battle hits new heights
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31411475/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/

Iranian protesters mostly unfazed by government warnings
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/17/iran.elections.rallies/index.html

Iranian opposition vows to keep pressure on regime with shows of strength
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6524451.ece

(Iran) The evidence that points to Ahmadinejad stealing Iranian election
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6523563.ece

(Iran) The silent rebellion: Iran’s green protest turns black in mourning
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6524529.ece

Iran dissidents organise protests and talk to the world on Twitter
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6524127.ece

Iran’s Mousavi urges peaceful rallies on Thursday
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2009/June/middleeast_June537.xml&section=middleeast

Iran set for day of mourning after protest deaths
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE55F54520090617

(Iran) Rights groups: reformists seized in Iran crackdown
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1245184861208&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warns online media
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090617/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_election
— Iran military targets Web as protests go on
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/17/iran.elections.rallies/index.html

(Iran) Third march planned in Iran as reformists are arrested
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/5557165/Third-march-planned-in-Iran-as-reformists-are-arrested.html
— Mousavi wants day of mourning on Thursday for those killed in unrest
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31380861/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

(Iran) Violence spreads outward from Tehran
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/06/16/Violence-spreads-outward-from-Tehran/UPI-23041245150180/

Iranian athletes wear green in apparent protest
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ap/20090618/tap-as-skorea-iran-protest-601b9ad.html

Iran accuses US of meddling after disputed vote
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090617/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_election

(Iran) Combating Iran’s Protest Movement: Ayatollahs Combine Concessions with Warnings
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,630959,00.html

Iranian-Americans say history is at hand
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/17/iran.elections.protests/index.html

(Iran) Why Washington Is Playing it Safe
— “The US president knows the ayatollahs yield the real power in Tehran”
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,630923,00.html

(Iran) Obama: Ahmadinejad and Mousavi not very different
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1245184848467&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

(Iran) Israel’s Farkash: ‘Protests are beginning of end for Iran’
— “Former MI chief Farkash tells ‘Post’ Iranians primarily protesting deteriorating local economic situation”
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1245184860853&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Iranian Jews in Israel not optimistic
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1245184860386&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Communist China tells Dell, HP to include Censorship Software

US firm warns PC makers over Chinese software
— “Beijing has notified PC companies that it requires all PCs sold in China from July 1 to include Green Dam/Youth Escort, a censorship software commissioned by the Chinese government”

PC makers plead with China for release from Youth Escort

Trade Groups Ask China to Scrap Filter

AP: China says unpopular filtering software optional
— “China appeared to cave in to public pressure Tuesday by announcing that computer users are not required to install Internet-filtering software — though it will still come with all PCs sold on the mainland.”
— “A Ministry of Industry and Information Technology official reached by telephone told The Associated Press that use of the “Green Dam Youth Escort” software is ‘not compulsory.’ He would not give his name as is customary with Chinese officials.”
— “China already has the world’s most extensive system of Web monitoring and censorship and has issued numerous regulations in response to the rise of blogging and other trends. Operators are required to monitor Web pages and bulletin boards and delete content deemed subversive.”

BusinessWeek: China’s PC Censorship Software Blocks More than Sex
— “The controversial new software blocks political and religious websites and is ‘far more intrusive’ than other content control software, say OpenNet researchers”