26 May 2009 - 17H32
- Facebook - Iran - Iranian elections

Tehran restores access to Facebook
The government lifted its block of the networking site Facebook, the ILNA news agency said. Supporters of reformist candidate Mirhossein Mousavi (photo) say the shutdown was meant to keep them from campaigning for the June 12 presidential ballot.

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AFP - Iran has restored access to Facebook after blocking it reportedly to prevent supporters of a moderate in the presidential race from using it for his campaign, the Ilna news agency said on Tuesday.
   
Ilna is considered close to reformist candidates standing in the June 12 election.

The agency said the Internet social networking site had been blocked after a decision "by a committee of representatives from the ministry of interior, intelligence, judiciary, parliament and some other ministries."
  
On May 23, it said access was blocked because "supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi were using Facebook to better disseminate the candidate's positions."
   
Mousavi, a moderate, is emerging as the main rival to conservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who is seeking a second term in office in next month's poll.
   
When asked about the ban at a news conference on Monday, Ahmadinejad said he was "unaware and would investigate" the matter.
   
The authorities have not given any reason for initially banning access to the site and then restoring it. They closely monitor access to Internet, especially political and pornographic sites.
   
A few months ago, an official stated that access to more than five million websites had been blocked in Iran. However Iranian Internet surfers reportedly still find ways of accessing their favourite sites.

 

Comments

Mirhossien Moussavi's Fans!

by Poori (not verified) - 27/05/2009 - 11:17

Blocking the facebook is not the main and only problem for an imprisoned nation like Iranians.
I want to remind Mirhossein Moussavi's fans of his wrong doings when he was PM. At that time thousands of political prisoners were executed because of lack of freedom of speech and democracy in my country Iran.
Why did this person choose to be silent at that time? Was he blind or deaf or mute ?
Is he not a criminal?
How can a nation repeat a mistake again and again by participating in such a funny so-called election?
MA HASTIM Forever and ever.

Poori
TEHRAN

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