Showing posts with label activists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label activists. Show all posts

Monday, July 13, 2009

Anonymous Issues Fatwa to Iranian Regime


'Anonymous,' the group behind the highly successful free speech campaign against Scientology is taking an increasing part in the resistance to the Iranian government. The group has issued a free speech 'fatwa' against the Iranian regime.

That development was echoed in a move by another group related to Anonymous. Two weeks ago a message appeared on Anonymous Iran on behalf of a group called: Task Force /i/ran.

The short identification code '/i/' is likely the signature of an offshoot of the 4.chan.org website. 4Chan is the origin of 'Anonymous.'

The posted message indicated a cyberwar campaign was imminent against Iranian government websites, especially those publishing photos of protesters in an attempt to identify. The group stated it's intentions thus:
"/i/nvade. Destroy. Kill. Win. That's our fucking plan." -- Anonymous.
The most recent move is the start of a 'Sea of Green' interent radio channel to broadcast the contents of the 'Green Brief' daily briefings on Iran developments by Josh Shahryar -currently available in text form at the Anonymous Iran forum.

Clearly, 'Anonymous' are on board with the Iranian resistance.

Expect them.




Hello, leaders of Iran. We are Anonymous.

As the eyes of the entire world hold you under close scrutiny, the eyes of the internet have taken a similar notice of your recent actions. While the governments of the world condemn you for your suppression of human rights, Anonymous has taken a particular interest in your recent attempts to censor the internet, not only for your own people, but for the citizens of the entire world.

Such suppression of dissent cannot go unpunished. By cutting off communication of the Iranian citizens to the rest of the world, you have made it clear to us that the most revered of human rights - the right to free speech - is no longer important to you. By seeking to silence the voice of the people in an election and subsequently seeking to silence criticism of such a gross cover-up, you have perpetuated the anger and rage of your people. Anonymous has therefore made it our mission to see to it that the voice of the Iranian people can be heard around the world.

Just like another authoritarian religious extremist group, Anonymous will tear down the walls of silence using only the truth - the truth that you are trying so hard to suppress by use of violence, intimidation, and fascist laws.

As your people continue to riot and to speak out against you; as you continue to beat and shoot your own citizens in the street; as you continue to lie to the face of the entire world; know that the internet is watching - and we do not like what we see.

Knowledge is free.

We are Anonymous.
We are Legion.
We do not forgive.
We do not forget.

Expect us.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Iranian Opposition Under Cyberattack on Twitter


See Latest Updates Below Article

Persons unknown disrupted the #iranelection tag used by Iranian opposition activists on Twitter for almost all of Saturday 11th July. Legitimate messages coordinating political opposition to the Iranian government were drowned out by massive volume of tweet spam for a product called Turbo Cash Generator, and also for www.tonig.ht -a free domain registration service.

Twitter did not seem to respond to requests block the spam content -which is rendered the #iranelection tag unusable, especially to less experienced users. That looks like an abrogation of their corporate responsibility to protect an online system vital for free speech and political organization.

The sheer volume of tweet spam (up to 70% of tweets -see image) was counterproductive from an e-marketing point of view, so it's possible that Turbo Cash Generator was not the actual entity behind this cyberattack. Another entity may have used their product as cover for the attack.

A new anonymity software program created by Austin Heap, called Haystack is just set to launch. But that product will be undermined if the most popular Iranian opposition tag on Twitter is destroyed by cyberattack.

A Twitter account at: http://twitter.com/iranelectnospam has been set up to help educate users on how to filter out the spam. An online activist response is being coordinated in a topic thread at the Anonymous Iran forum.

UPDATE: 12:00pm EST Sunday

After an overnight lull, the "Killer Software" spam is back Sunday. But the Twitter short links it is using, are no longer valid on bit.ly's link translation system. So there is no benefit in traffic to the originator. Just disruption of the #iranelection tag on Twitter.

The originator of the spam is still unidentified.

In response to a media enquiry by me, providing details of the affiliate code being used in the spam, turbocashgenerator.com said it would have the spam stopped, but did not admit if the affiliate code was genuine, or if the company itself was responsible for the spam. Nevertheless the spam continues today.

UPDATE: 2:00am EST Monday

Thanks to help from Tweeters and AnonymousIran members, though spam continues on Twitter, the spam level in the #iranelection tag is now reduced to a trickle. A number of spammers have been contacted directly by #iranelection's AntiSpam team and have backed off. However, they or other spammers may show up again. We will continue an aggressive response to any spamming of #iranelection. Latest here.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

The Geek Who Built a Haystack For Iran


You may know of Austin Heap from his fight with Comedy Central, after he established a website to host free-view episodes of South Park. He's fighting a different battle these days: building a software system called Haystack to enable Iranians bypass state censorship of the internet - as TehranBureau.com reports:
In his converted loft apartment in the semi-sketchy-meets-startup SoMa neighborhood, Austin Heap, 25, spends most of his time in front of his computer — a PC tower that he built himself and hacked to run Mac OS X.

Heap didn’t have much knowledge or interest in Iran until very recently. As foreign media began to be kicked out of the country, information coming from online sources became that much more crucial.

“Three weeks ago I was very happy playing Warcraft and I was following the Iran election,” he says. “But it wasn’t until everything escalated there that I got involved.”

On June 15, three days after the election, Heap sprung into action....


See this article also.

The Man As Disabled as Iranian Democracy


When Neda Agha-Soltan was gunned down by an armed motorcyclist in a Tehran street, the world recoiled in horror. The grisly scene was a repeat of a similar incident in 2000, when a prominent reformist journalist and politician, Saeed Hajjarian narrowly escaped assassination - also by a gunman on a motorcycle. Both murder bids are thought to be the work of the 'Lebas Shakhsiha' - plainclothes security agents who operate beyond the reach of the law.

Shot in the face and neck, his injuries in that attack left Hajjarian severely disabled and needing constant medical care. Notwithstanding his severe disablement he was detained by Iranian authorities on June 15th.

After visiting him in prison, Vajiheh Marsousi, the wife of the dissident intellectual said his life is in danger due to his poor health and lack of medical care; and that he was under intense pressure to sign a false confession about an imaginary foreign plot to overthrow the government. He is now thought to be in a coma. Human Rights Watch has called for his release.

Back in 1972, Professor Muhammad Sahimi, of TehranReport.com (whom we interviewed here) was a classmate of Hajjarian's in Tehran University. His profile of the man he describes as "one of the most important intellectuals and political thinkers of Iran over the past few decades," is here.

Cyberwar Still Rages to Halt Protester Identification

SAMPLE PHOTO OF PROTESTERS
We have blurred the image to prevent identification.

A high-stakes, cyberwar is still raging to prevent webpages full of photos from being used to identify, imprison and likely abuse or torture Iranian street protesters. One website, Gerdab.ir has in the last 24 hours posted 70 new photos of the protesters, with identifiable faces ringed by red circles. Currently it is the main target in the cyberwar.

The battle has been ongoing since these photos first appeared on a number of websites, with 'hack-tivists' scoring major successes and bringing down key sites in the last two weeks. But it's an online war which has ebbed and flowed, as defensive measures were deployed by the target websites.

The website sahandnews.com redirected it's domain IP pointers from its servers in Canada to new ones in Germany, and at time of writing its protester ID page is still online. Another site, shahabnews.com has been forced offline. Website bultannews.com removed it's protester identification page to escape the ire of the politically-motivated hackers.

At least one website, khodkar.ir was suspended by its internet domain hosting service. After an approach by an activist, Jottie Tolatzis on behalf of LeaseWeb confirmed that the company would take the website offline.

Some of those participating in the cyberwar range are amateurs who simply repeatedly load the target pages to slow them down on the internet. Others are experienced hackers deploying sophisticated denial-of-service tactics and software to take entire websites offline.

One of the most prominent internet locations where activists coordinate their cyberwar campaign is Anonymous Iran, where a list of the webpages which contain protester photos has been posted. The 'Help Iran Online' section of the site has many discussion threads tracking the progress of attempts to block the target websites.

The outcome of the cyberwar has serious implications for the protesters seen in the photos. If they are identified and incarcerated their fate is dire. Amnesty International has repeatedly expressed concern that detainees face torture or other ill-treatment in Iran. Credible accounts say that rape of prisoners is taking place.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Blackout! The Repression will not be Televised

Ahmadinejad TV speech met by rooftop cries, power blackouts

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave a 30 minute address on Iranian national television Tuesday night, claiming that the turnout and his officially declared victory gave the government new legitimacy.

"This is a new beginning for Iran ... we have entered a new era," Ahmadinejad said. "This election has doubled the dignity of the Iranian nation."

But according to an Associated Press report, his television speech was delivered to the sound of cries of "Death to the Dictator" and "God is Great" heard shouted from rooftops in many parts of Tehran.

The speech was also accompanied by widespread electricity blackouts said claims by online protesters using Twitter. The protesters had earlier pre-arranged a call for Iranians to plug in heavy power load household devices such as dryers, irons and toasters at 9:45pm local time, as Ahmadinejad's speech began.

Online Twitter feeds claimed blackouts were achieved in East Tehran, Sari, Tabriz, Isfehan, Rodehen, Saghez, Lavasan, Ahvaz, Khoramshahr, Dezfol, Jahrom, Khomini Shahr, Shahin Shar, Folad Shahr, Kashan and some of Rasht.

Screenshots of a brief blackout of the televised speech were posted online by Swiss-based, Iranian journalist Omid Habibinia - a regular tweeter of protest news from Iran.

TWITTER FEEDS REFERING TO THE BLACKOUT PROTEST:

omidhabibinia: Iron Tactic tonight: Call for Black Out During Ahmadinejad Live at TV , Tehran Time 21.30... #Iranelection
about 5 hours ago from web

Ahmadinejad will appear on TV in a few mins (21.45 Tehran Time) we are waitting what will happen!
about 2 hours ago from web

People Turning ON all Electric Devices while Ahmadinejad is speaking on TV...
about 2 hours ago from web

Yes It Worked! #iranelection
about 2 hours ago from web

Ghazvin went in Black Out, People Chanting" Death to Dictator" on the roofs in many cities...
about 1 hour ago from web

Live Broadcast intr. few seconds in dark till emergency electric generators charging the power...North Part of Karj Black Out
about 1 hour ago from web

Black Out: Sari, Tabriz, Isfehan, Rodehen, Saghez, Lavasan...
about 1 hour ago from web

Bassij forces attacked some people in Tehran Now on the roofs in the dark. (not conf)
about 1 hour ago from web

Black Out: All Steet Lamps in East Part of Tehran Turned Off!
about 1 hour ago from web

It is More than 45 mins, People Still chanting on the roofs all over the city: Death To the Dictator!
about 1 hour ago from web

Black Out: East of Tehran, Ahvaz, Khoramshahr, Dezfol, Jahrom...
about 1 hour ago from web

Black Out: Khomini Shahr, Shahin Shar, Folad Shahr, Kashan...
about 1 hour ago from web

Black Out: Half Part of Rasht went in dark.
about 1 hour ago from web

manfredmarz: "This is a new beginning for Iran ... we have entered a new era,.... and the answer was a BLACK OUT... a REAL TIME