Thursday, March 29, 2012

Iran throws Reuters out of the country

Last month, we commented on the intimidation and violence Reuters Tehran-based correspondents are reportedly subjected to by the Iranian regime and the inevitable self-censorship amongst journalists this thuggery coerces.  Apparently, anything less than "perfect" reporting has become too much for the mullahs:
The Iranian government has suspended the press accreditation for Reuters staff in Tehran after the publication of a video story on women's martial arts training which contained an error.
Reuters, the news arm of Thomson Reuters, the global news and information group, corrected the story after the martial arts club where the video was filmed made a complaint.
The story's headline, "Thousands of female Ninjas train as Iran's assassins," was corrected to read "Three thousand women Ninjas train in Iran".
Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance subsequently contacted the Reuters Tehran bureau chief about the video and its publication, as a result of which Reuters' 11 personnel were told to hand back their press cards.
Well, they can always move to Reuters Syria Bureau.  Oh we forgot, Reuters has been banned there too.

It appears only Israel allows freedom of the press in the Middle East.

You know, the freedom to lie, distort, mislead, libel, and omit essential contextual detail.

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