Iran Sentences Canadian Programmer to Death for Writing Program

  • Context: News 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Char. Limit
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Death Program Writing
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the death sentence imposed on Canadian programmer Saeed Malekpour by the Iranian Supreme Court for his involvement in a photography program that was misused to upload pornography. The conversation touches on themes of justice, cultural differences, and the implications of such a sentence on the Iranian diaspora and broader societal norms.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express disbelief at the severity of the sentence and criticize the Iranian leadership as uncivilized.
  • Others argue that the Iranian leadership is civilized but culturally behind the West, suggesting that globalization may lead to progressive changes in the region.
  • A participant sarcastically suggests that if the punishment for pornography extends to infrastructure, it could lead to absurd consequences.
  • One participant reflects on their experiences with the Iranian diaspora, noting that it consists largely of educated and liberal individuals, which may indicate a potential for societal change.
  • Another participant critiques the Iranian judicial system as arbitrary and influenced by religious mores rather than ethical principles.
  • There are references to historical contexts, comparing the current situation in Iran to past European cultural dynamics, suggesting that the Islamic world once led in various fields while Europe was in a darker period.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus; instead, multiple competing views are presented regarding the nature of Iranian leadership, cultural evolution, and the implications of the death sentence.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying degrees of understanding and interpretation of Iranian culture, law, and the implications of the death sentence, indicating a lack of shared assumptions about these topics.

Char. Limit
Gold Member
Messages
1,222
Reaction score
23
Last week, the Iranian Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence for computer programmer Saeed Malekpour, whose photography program was used without his knowledge, to upload pornography to the internet.

Canadian resident Mr Malekpour was arrested while visiting his dying father in Iran during October 2008. He was held in solitary confinement in Tehran's Evin Prison for a year without charge, according to Amnesty.

He made confessions, which were later televised, to his charges, which according to the EFF include "acting against national security through propaganda" and "production and publication of obscene materials through computer systems".

However, in a letter sent from the prison in March 2010, Mr Malekpour states, he retracted these confessions, stating they had been given under duress after prolonged interrogation and torture by the "Revolutionary Guards Cyber Counterattack" team. He also wrote that he still not been allowed to visit his lawyer.

http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/201...nced-to-death-for-writing-a-computer-program/

I just can't believe this. If anyone wanted proof that Iran's leadership is not in any way civilized, this is it. I feel that something should be done, but I just am not sure what yet.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
The customs of a people are its mores. These may include its morals (ethics), but the word “mores” is not synonymous with “morals.” Some eels are morays, but they aren’t known particularly for their social customs, though both words are pronounced the same.I'm just glad I'm a Canadian.
my government will get involved ...
 
Char. Limit said:
http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/201...nced-to-death-for-writing-a-computer-program/

I just can't believe this. If anyone wanted proof that Iran's leadership is not in any way civilized, this is it. I feel that something should be done, but I just am not sure what yet.
Believe it. It happens every day. Not just in Iran. The Iranian leadership is civilized, just a bit medieval. They, and most of the rest of the Islamic world, are a few hundred years behind the Western world wrt cultural evolution. But the internet, globalization, etc., is exposing the younger middle eastern generations to alternative, progressive ways of thinking ... which they seem to be embracing. Which is, imho, a good thing, and will eventually bring about changes that will preclude the possibility of things like the thread topic happening.
 
Ok-

Since people have transported pornography on Iranian roadways, their heads of state should put one another to death for having built those roads.

This is fun. Let's see how many Iranian occupations we can mark as "executable" due to the promulgation of pornography.
 
Based on a biased sampling of my Iranian friends (most of whom I met during graduate school), the Iranian diaspora seems to be comprised of young, educated, and liberal (comparatively) people of middle or upper-middle class background.

Since that demographic (in conjunction with disaffection) is the ideal demographic for a restive population, maybe this (and similar actions) are a not-so-subtle reminder from the regime that once out, ex-pat Iranians should STAY out.
 
ThomasT said:
Believe it. It happens every day. Not just in Iran. The Iranian leadership is civilized, just a bit medieval. They, and most of the rest of the Islamic world, are a few hundred years behind the Western world wrt cultural evolution. But the internet, globalization, etc., is exposing the younger middle eastern generations to alternative, progressive ways of thinking ... which they seem to be embracing. Which is, imho, a good thing, and will eventually bring about changes that will preclude the possibility of things like the thread topic happening.

Europe was living in the dark ages because of the church control of every aspect of life. They were killing scientists , thinkers and innovators in the time Muslims were owners of progress in most aspects of life including Politics , Science , economics and arts . They were the cause of European civilization . So in medieval times Muslims were the advanced civilization in contrast to Europe which was retarded
 
Alfi said:
The customs of a people are its mores.

Rather uncivilized. This is exactly what is wrong with Iran. They take mores over ethics (or rather, some basic law principles along which law should be organized, their judicial system is completely arbitrary). Anything which 'feels wrong' is wrong, and subsequently a religious rationalization why it is wrong is given. Which will always work, since, IMO, religion is completely opportunistic.

In western term, I would call that arbitrary and capricious, and a term medieval is just about right.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Similar threads

News Is Administrative Detention For Israelis Just?
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
4K
News ROFLMAO happy new year from bill blum
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K