DigiActive.org

Action Alert: Help Detained Vietnamese Bloggers

Background: The web has become a critical tool for over 20 million Vietnamese internet users to access and share information beyond the censorship of the state-run media.  Since September 2008, the authorities in Vietnam have unleashed a massive campaign against Vietnamese bloggers and cyber activists. In the last 12 months at least 15 bloggers have been arrested and harassed. According to Viet Tan, a Vietnamese pro-democracy group based outside the country, these bloggers  were simply posting their writings critical of the government’s handling of the land sovereignty disputes with China and bauxite mining. For example blogger Sphinx was detained for posting on his blog a picture of himself wearing a T-shirt saying “Paracel and Spratly islands belong to Vietnam. ”

How to Help: People can download the internet freedom poster and publish it on FaceBook, blogs and so on. People who live in America can send a pre-written letter to their Representative and urge him/her to support internet freedom in Vietnam.

Impact: The bloggers do not belong to any association or organization and it will be easy for them to be forgotten. Any international campaign can be helpful to create a virtual shield to protect them or at least keep their presence alive.

Digital Activism in Iran: Beyond the Headlines

clockwise from top-left: Gholamhossein Karbaschi’s Twitter page, the reformist web site Ghalam News, YouTube video of a nurses’ protest taken by a citizen journalist, Mir Hossein Mousavi’s Facebook page, toolbar from Kalamhe, another reformist site

Background:  Protests against Iran’s presidential election results continue despite the warning of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday.  However, Iranian reformist candidates Mir Hussein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoub and their supporters have few communications options. They have no access to national TV, radio, or newspapers, which are under state control.   Text messaging is being blocked and web sites are filtered.  How are they able to organize a huge protest movement?

While the mainstream media has focused on the role of Twitter and decentralized organizing, the real picture of digital activism in Iran is more complex.  Protests are organized centrally by the campaigns of reformist candidates and then that information is disseminated both online and off.  The role of citizens with regard to social media is as citizen journalists, using YouTube and Twitter to report on what is happening, rather than to organize the protests.  Since this activity is intended for an international audience (and is in English) it is no wonder that this use of social media is more visible to a Western audience than the online tactics actually being used to organize the protests.

Tools: web sites, Facebook, Twitter, mouth-to-ear networks

How these tools are being used:  With regard to the post-election protests, decisions are made centrally by Mousavi and Karoubi and their campaigns. When they take their decisions they communicate them in different ways. First, they publish them on their websites, for example Kalamhe and Ghalam news.  Web 1.0 (as well as totally offline communication methods) are just as important as Web 2.0 (social media), though the latter is receiving for more attention.

Second, the reformist leaders use social networking systems to communicate these message. On Saturday Mir Hussein Mousavi’s Facebook published the news that demonstration will be held today. Mousavi has more than 65,000 supporters in his Facebook group and every message can reach this army of people directly.  Supporters were also asked to pass the message to others, implying that the leaders are deliberately making use of their supporters’ online and offline personal networks.   One of the main ways to organize the demonstrations  is person-to-person communication or talking with friends and neighbors… the mouth-to-ear method.  It still works and no government can shut it down.  (Maybe Iranian leaders imagine a divine power can prevent this form of communication as it did in the election.)

Third, as has already been noted (and overemphasized) in the mainstream media,  Twitter is being used.  However, the dynamic is different than has been previously reported.  Gholamhossein Karbaschi, a top adviser to Karoubi, communicates about his activity on his Twitter account (@gkarbaschi, in Farsi).  This is one of the only instances where Twitter is actually being used to organize protest inside Iran and again, this is centralized organization coming from the campaign of a reformist candidate.  An indication of the centralized nature of Twitter for organizing in Iran: @gkarbaschi has over 4,700 followers but is not following the feeds of any other users.  He is using social media to broadcast to a domestic audience, not to interact.

As has also been noted, people in Iran are using Twitter as an important broadcast (rather than organizing) tool to report events, slogans, and minute by minute protest movement. In this way, Twitter has turned a local struggle into a national and  international one.  A scene of a girl murdered by security forces is one dramatic example of news reported on Twitter.  As many reporters and interested observers around the world have learned, it also allows an international audience to follow the event in real time.

Finally, Iranian citizens upload films from around country on YouTube to show demonstrations, protest movements and reformists’ messages.  International mainstream media are using these citizen videos in their Iran coverage.  This combination of Web 1.0 and Web 2.0, central organization and decentralized dissemination shows the flexibility of these tools and the true complexity of the use of digital activism in Iran.

Presidential Candidates Go Virtual in Iran

Description:The Iranian presidential election will be held in about a month and more than 400 people have registered as candidates. However, they still need the Council of Guardians to approve their nominations. In the last presidential election in 2005, less than 10 people among over 1,000 registered candidates got the chance to run, and all the lucky candidates were faithful and loyal to the Islamic Republic. This time the supporters of leading candidates are using digital means to promote their favorite politicians. Facebook and YouTube, which were banned until recently, have been used by candidates to beef up their chances in the coming election.

Tools and People: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s supporters started to use all the digital means at their disposal. Their virtual campaign is named Dar Emtade Meh (means “following kindness”). In this site supporters are invited to use Facebook, SMS,Twitter,YouTube and blogs to communicate the message. YouTube is used in very pivotal way by campaigners and several Ahmadinejad’s meetings and trips are there. Ahmadinejad is considered a conservative politician.

Mir Hussein Mousavi, former Prime Minister, has launched an internet based TV. His campaign claims that more than 1,000 blogs announced their support of Mousavi. He is supported by former reformist president Mohammad Khatami and he calls himself an independent candidate.

The supporters of Mehdi Karrubi’s, former parliamentary speaker, have launched a Facebook page where several election films are published. Karrubi is considered a reformist candidate.

Impact: It is very interesting that Iranian authorities allowed Iranians access to Facebook and YouTube just a few months ago and already we see they are really present in candidates’ campaigns. The presence of bloggers as adviser to candidates and/or their campaigners reveal that citizen media has creeped its way into mainstream politics. Mohammad Abtahi, former vice president and blogger, is adviser to Karrubi and several bloggers are active in Mousavi’s campaign. Just as we now have “governmental NGOs” in Iran, in the future we will probably have “state-run citizen media.”

Action Alert: Day of Solidarity with Persecuted Bloggers

Background: Omid Reza Mir Sayafi, an Iranian blogger, died tragically in prison on March 18, demonstrating the sad fact that a blogger’s life can be lost as easily as a blog can be filtered by authorities.

Bloggers have been praised on many occasions for their contribution and value to the information society. They are admired in many cases as unheard voices but unfortunately most of the time, when a blogger faces persecution, his or her voice is not heard.

Sadly, Omid Reza’s case is not an exception and dozens of cyber dissidents are in jail around our globalized world and many more face political persecution.

When: I would like to propose March 18 every year as an International Day of Solidarity with Persecuted Bloggers.

Why: We can remember, talk and honor in this day jailed, tortured, killed and threatened bloggers, regardless of their political ideas and social or ethnic backgrounds. We can also discuss on this day what measures should be taken to support persecuted bloggers.

How: Please contact me at helpforbloggers@gmail.com if you’d like to get involved.   So far I have received very positive feedback from Committee to Protect Bloggers, Global Voices Advocacy, Freekareem, Mideast Youth and several bloggers and  I am ready to receive your comments, ideas, initiatives and words on this topic.

Tool: 300K e-petition for Norouz

treats to celebrate Nourouz, the Iranian new year’s holiday (credit: ISNA.ir)

Description: Norouz (also spelled “Nowruz”) marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the Iranian year. This day is celebrated by nearly 300 million people around the world including Iranians and many other peoples throughout Asia.

Digital Tool Beign Used: e-petition

How: The e-petition is addressed to Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of United Nations. The request is to add this day to the calendars’ of the UN agencies.

Impact: So far more than 300,ooo people have signed the petition.  This is a large number, but the e-petition is a very popular lobbying tool.  Is it still an effective way for activists to bring attention to their cause or has the ease of creating an online petition made it so commonplace that it is no longer taken seriously by decision-makers ?

Gaza, a virtual war zone

Description: The 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict began on December 27th when the Israeli forces bombed Gaza. In this conflict, digital tools have been used by the Israeli government, main stream media, human rights activists, residents in Gaza, and pro Israel and pro Hamas groups.

Tools: Twitter, blogs , You Tube and Face Book. It seems Twitter was the “star” of digital media in this conflict.

How the tools are used: Israel Consulate in new York uses Twitter and so does AlJazeera. It seems Gaza’s residents use twitter too.  In addition, hackers on both sides have attacked many sites. SCmagazine says that Muslims hacked more than 300 Israeli sites. Jewish Internet Defense Force also hacked several anti war groups in Facebook.

Impact: Using digital tools is very important in this conflict because journalists and reportes are not present in war zone. These tools are also used to protest or collect donations.  In addition, these social networks have many readers and can have an impact on public opinion.

Tool: Iranian Google bomb to support Gaza

Description: The Gaza crisis and Israeli attacks have been a top story around the world, and it seems the story will not be over soon. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak referred to the situation as “all-out war” and told lawmakers the country’s military was prepared for more intense action in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip in order to weaken Hamas’ ability to fire rockets into Israeli territory. Iranian islamists demonstarted in Iran against Israel and Iranian leaders are calling on Muslims to support Palestinans in any way they can. Islamist bloggers are fighting a virtual struggle too.

Tools: Google bomb

How tool is used: Iranian islamists are hopeful that people who are googling Gaza find their page, Gaza.Ir, on the top of the list. The site reads:

You oppressed people of Gaza know that we Muslims in Iran and all over the world haven’t forgotten you and will not cease until complete cessation of the blockade of your city. Along the path to Gaza’s freedom and our common goal, which is the freedom of Palestine, we will not cease and we will go on.

Impact: Google bombs can attract a lot of attention if they are able to climb to the top of reserarch results. So far this has not the case of Islamist Google bomb.

Action Alert: Campaign to Free Jailed Doctors in Iran

Description: Two sibling physicians, Kamira and Arash Alaie, have pioneered educational and harm reduction campaigns among drug users, prostitutes, and prison inmates in Iran and throughout the Middle East. They have been in jail in Iran for six months, and have had no legal representation. To date, no formal charges have been filed.

Tools: Facebook, blog, e-petition

How These Tools Are Being Used: Clint Trout, a friend of the Alaie siblings, who launched a Facebook campaign on their behalf asks supporters to:

1. Make a sign that says “Treating AIDS Is Not a Crime: Free Kamiar and Arash Alaei and take a photo
2. Sign the petition
3. Get other people to do this action.

The IranFreeDocs site asked people to send an email to Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations.

Outcome: Many ex-prisoners say that the Islamic Republic of Iran is sensitive to international media pressure and the doctors will be treated with greater care if the are seen to have public supporters.

Campaign: Supporting Jailed Afghan Student

Description: Recently an Afghan appeals court overturned a death sentence for 24-year-old Parwez Kambakhsh, a journalism student accused of blasphemy for asking questions in class about women’s rights under Islam. But the judges still sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

The case against this student, whose brother has angered Afghan warlords with his own writing, has come to symbolize Afghanistan’s ultraconservative view on religious and individual freedoms. Some people started to mobolize opinion to support him.

Digital Tools Being Used:Blog and Petition

How these tools have been used: Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME) has launched a petition to support Afghan student and jailed Iranian academics. SPME wants to collect 1,000 signatures before sending it to the governments of Afghanistan and Iran and the United Nations Council on Human Rights. Some Afghan bloggers such as Afghan Lord call court decision ‘unjust’ and try to remind people his case.

Impact: Mobilizing international opinion and media may have a positive impact for this jailed journalism student. Afghan government depends on international aid to ’survive’ and ‘persecuting’ this Afghan student won’t be helpful for it’s image.

Campaign: Iran – Protesting Online Against the Canadian Embassy

Description: About 670 Iranian-Canadians have signed a petition to Ottawa’s political leaders protesting what they say is worsening discrimination against Iranians who want to visit Canada, some of them internationally known dissidents on the blacklist of the regime. Only a minority of several hundred Iranian artists and intellectuals invited to Toronto events this summer were granted visas.

Tools: Blog, Petition, Email

How these tools have been used:A Visa for Ordinary Iranians blog explains the situation and provides the addresses where people can sign the petition. It also informs how media covers this petition issue. People who can not post the petition or take it to six different locals, are asked to send an email to support this initiative.

Objective : Visa for Ordinary Iranians blog says that the goal is to collect 1000 signatures before 14th of October.

Impact: Lawmakers may pay attention to their requests as Iranian community is a large one in Canada but 1000 signatures are not that much. If this news finds itself through Canadian mainstream media, the impact of the petition will undoubtably grow.