Sunday
Aug232009
Iran: Government Says, "Overweight? Try Prison"
Sunday, August 23, 2009 at 8:03
The Latest from Iran (23 August): An Anti-Ahmadinejad Bloc?
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From Press TV, "Ahmadinejad aide says jail improves health condition":
Amid concerns over health conditions and treatment of Iran's post-vote detainees, an aide to the Iranian president moves to defuse the controversy by saying that serving time in prison helps you understand the importance of keeping your weight under control.
Ali-Akbar Javanfekr, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's advisor for press affairs, addressed concerns over health conditions of jailed Reformist figure Mohammed-Ali Abtahi.
Former Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a Reformist cleric, appeared in one of Iran's mass post-election trials saying that the three opposition leaders - Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani formed an alliance in which they "promised to always back each other up" in their efforts to rob the presidency from its 'legitimate winner.'
Following the televised trial, photos of Abtahi circulated the media with human rights activists and opposition figures questioning the credibility of the confessions made by Abtahi who had lost visible weight.
In an interview on Saturday, President Ahmadinejad's advisor explained why the Reformist figure looked so frail during his appearance at court in Tehran.
"It is only natural for a person who has gained an excessive amount of weight to come to his senses in prison that being overweight is not good for your mental of physical health," Javanfekr reasoned.
"Maybe Mr. Abtahi has seized this opportunity and made an effort to lose weight," he was quoted as saying by Tabnak.
The jailed cleric was an advisor to defeated presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi and is accused of provoking and taking part in protests in the capital, Tehran.
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Buy Us A Cup of Coffee? Help Enduring America Expand Its Coverage and Analysis
From Press TV, "Ahmadinejad aide says jail improves health condition":Amid concerns over health conditions and treatment of Iran's post-vote detainees, an aide to the Iranian president moves to defuse the controversy by saying that serving time in prison helps you understand the importance of keeping your weight under control.
Ali-Akbar Javanfekr, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's advisor for press affairs, addressed concerns over health conditions of jailed Reformist figure Mohammed-Ali Abtahi.
Former Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a Reformist cleric, appeared in one of Iran's mass post-election trials saying that the three opposition leaders - Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani formed an alliance in which they "promised to always back each other up" in their efforts to rob the presidency from its 'legitimate winner.'
Following the televised trial, photos of Abtahi circulated the media with human rights activists and opposition figures questioning the credibility of the confessions made by Abtahi who had lost visible weight.
In an interview on Saturday, President Ahmadinejad's advisor explained why the Reformist figure looked so frail during his appearance at court in Tehran.
"It is only natural for a person who has gained an excessive amount of weight to come to his senses in prison that being overweight is not good for your mental of physical health," Javanfekr reasoned.
"Maybe Mr. Abtahi has seized this opportunity and made an effort to lose weight," he was quoted as saying by Tabnak.
The jailed cleric was an advisor to defeated presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi and is accused of provoking and taking part in protests in the capital, Tehran.
Reader Comments (4)
These photos were paired in many Western papers, but it's a different matter to see them this way in Press TV. By showing both pictures side by side, Press TV denounce without words what is being done to Abtahi while highlighting AN's disdain & disregard for his people. Very effective.
The current regime will need to be sent to hell for them to come to their senses really quickly as well, let's open up the gates. Will there be enough room for all of them?
I think Amy's analysis is right. Notice that they reported it totally straight, but I think they did that in order to highlight the absurdity of it. It's as if they're saying, "It mocks itself."
To those of you who think that Press TV is anything but a mouth piece of the government, note that when a tactic has been tried and failed and when a fact has been known by all the people of Iran and widely talked about (such as the case of Abtahi being starved in prison) it is reported by Press TV, to validate the fact and more importantly itself.
The objective of Press TV is to make itself and the government look valid and so sometimes it has to report negative news. This reality check serves as a form of validation for the government. However it does not take away from the fact that Press TV is nothing but a propaganda tool, all be it, a refined and sophisticated one.
Don't get fooled, be vigilant.