Death Penalty for Bloggers?

[QuirkyJessi]

The Iranian parliament is set to debate a draft bill that would add a number of crimes to the list of those that can result in execution, among them "establishing weblogs and sites promoting corruption, prostitution and apostasy." Apostasy means the abandonment of a religion. The official Iranian news agency reports that the bill is intended to "toughen punishment for harming mental security in society."

Iran already imprisons bloggers for challenging the government and executed 317 people for other crimes last year, up from 177 the year prior according to Amnesty International.

More at link: Iran Parliament to Debate Death Penalty for Bloggers - ReadWriteWeb

There is also of interest:

We at ReadWriteWeb condemn the application of the death penalty to bloggers as itself an abhorent crime. Cultural relativism has its place, but this isn't it. We want to offer our support to the new generation of Iranian young people struggling for freedom online and elsewhere, in any way we can, short of a US invasion of the country.

What do you think? Cultural differences or pushing the limit?

[Skolor]

Its about time. Those bloggers have had it too easy for too long, its about time they had some responsibility for their actions.



Not to mention, wouldn't the world be a better place with a few less bloggers?

[Bloggeries]

That's quite intense. Obviously associating death penalty in blogging from my North American perspective would be jaded to someone living there. It's frightening that they'd mention "weblogs" in the actual document. That being said I don't know enough about current law over there so maybe including weblogs to people living there was already something rather obvious?

Glad to be living where I do right now.

Thanks for sharing Jessi!

[IronBlogger]

Thats kind of scary....

I feel sorry for anyone who is blogging from there.