Freedom Of Expression: France Vs. Iran

Yaniv Berman, The Media Line:

On February 10, 2005 the French High Council for Radio and Television, CSA (Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel), banned the Iranian satellite TV network Sahar from broadcasting in France. It accused the station of anti-Semitism, stating it has systematically mocked Israelis and Jews by broadcasting the Iranian series Zahra's Blue Eyes and the Syrian-produced series A-Shatat. More than a month has passed, and Iran is still furious about the decision. READ MORE

The Iranian regime does not see these two series as anti-Semitic, but as reflecting reality. Freedom of expression, it says, is being denied by France. But this freedom must not be exploited by those who are trying to disseminate hatred and falsify history; and this is exactly what these series are doing.

Zahra's Blue Eyes is an Iranian series which is shows how Israel – through its army and government - conspires to steal the eyes of Palestinian children. All the 'Israeli' actors are dressed in traditional religious clothes. A-Shatat is a Syrian TV series which follows the history of Zionism. One of its episodes depicts a classic anti-Semitic blood libel: a rabbi is ordering his followers to kidnap a young Christian boy, slit his throat, and use his blood for baking the Passover matza bread.

In mid March, Sahar TV broadcast an interview with one of its news editors, who is also Al-Manar's (Hizbullah TV) bureau chief in Tehran. During the interview, Dr. Muhammad Shamas explained why the French decision was "clearly political." According to Shamas, Zahra's Blue Eyes is a series which "depicts the truth behind the daily torturing of the Palestinian people, inflicted on them by the Zionist war machine." A-Shatat, said Shamas, is "exposing the truth about the Jews and about the activities which contributed to the establishment of their racist entity [Israel]."

What France and the Jews are seeing as anti-Semitic content, Shamas added, is really no more than "revealing the Zionist war crimes against the Palestinians." Shamas concluded by suggesting two proposals: a) the Muslim nation has to have its own satellites and not be subjected to foreign institutions, and b) the Muslim satellite stations must cooperate and unify the efforts to fight the media assault against them.

It follows, therefore, that using the blood of a Christian boy to bake bread, is in Shamas's eyes, "exposing the truth about the Jews," and stealing the eyes of Palestinian children is depicting "the truth behind the daily torturing of the Palestinian people."

These views are also being heard in the Iranian parliament. Responding to the CSA's decision, head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, 'Ala A-Din Boroujerdi, expressed his hope that France would have second thoughts about its decision, saying: “Otherwise, the West’s claims concerning freedom of expression will be questioned.” Boroujerdi added that in reprisal Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance would impose restrictions on French media activities in Iran.

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi also expressed the hope that France would revise its decision, stating that, "interference with the broadcast of Sahar 1 television network by France is against the right for free flow of information." He added that "the message has been conveyed to the French government through official channels."

France is not alone in its criticism of the Sahar network. The airing of these two series by the station was also condemned by the U.S. government. Additionally, 15 members of Congress wrote a letter to the director of the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ali Jazini, condemning the series and their "inflammatory" content.

Even without these latest developments, the United States is not very popular in Iran. A four-minute video clip, set to music, which was aired on March 15 on Sahar TV, made this notion very clear. The edited video depicted the Palestinian struggle against Israel, but showed (twice) the burning of an American flag. The graphic artist also added a big 'X' over the faces of Israeli Prime Minster Ariel Sharon, and… U.S. President George W. Bush.