Middle East Focus: Iran Targets Human Rights Groups……….
Iran Targets Human Rights Groups……….
“Iran's state-owned media, judiciary, and security forces have opened a coordinated attack on human rights groups in recent weeks under the guise of defending the nation against "cyber warfare," Human Rights Watch said today.
The authorities have arbitrarily arrested human rights defenders, shut down websites run by human rights groups, and opened media campaigns accusing civil society groups of collaborating with foreign intelligence agencies and terrorist groups.
"Yet again, the government has drawn upon its tired playbook of foreign espionage and conspiracy theories to silence the few remaining critical voices in the country," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "This smacks of a desperate tactic to find one more excuse to attack human rights activists."
On March 13, 2010, a week before the Iranian New Year, Tehran's Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office announced that security forces had arrested 30 people, contending they were involved with a CIA-funded project to destabilize the government with "cyber warfare." ……..” Cheers
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