home

Iraqi Blogger Released

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Sat Jul 23, 2005 at 11:10:05 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

Bump and Update: Khalid Jarrar has been released and is on his way to Jordan. [Via Crooks and Liars.]

************
Original Post 7/19/05

Raed of Raed in the Middle reports his brother Khalid Jarrar, the blogger who writes Tell Me A Secret , who had been missing, has turned up...in an Iraqi jail - jailed by the new Iraqi mukhabarat..

On another note, my brother is spending his 6th night in jail. He's just one of the thousands of people in Iraq who disappeared and ended up in one of the many jails and prisons around the country without a clear reason.

Patriot Daily has five articles in its headlines section about the jailing:

7-18-2005: "Another Casualty in Rumsfeld’s Information-war" Truth in Crosshairs: Blogger in Iraq captured by government for providing news on his blog about what is really happening in Iraq.

Another chapter was added to Donald Rumsfeld’s booklet of "Information warfare" yesterday when blogger Khalid Jarrar was picked up by Iraqi Secret Service (Mukhabarat) and taken to an undisclosed location. Jarrar has not been formally charged with a crime, but he is author of a popular blog (Tell me a secret) that provides valuable information to people outside of Iraq who are curious to know the real details of the ongoing crisis.

...The curtains are being pulled over Iraq one blogger at a time, so that the atrocities of the occupier can be perpetrated with complete impunity. When Jarrar was hastily trundled off to prison, we lost a vital set of eyes to chronicle the horrors of Bush’s "preemptive" war and the ensuing suffering of the Iraqi people. Who will fill his shoes?

7-18-2005: Raed in the Middle: "Targeting Iraqi Civilians in Msayyab" "My brother is spending his 6th night in jail. He's just one of the thousands of people in Iraq who disappeared and ended up in one of the many jails and prisons around the country without a clear reason."

7-18-2005: Shlonkom Bakazay: "Sign the Petition & Write your congressional representative and senator " Petition to demand release of Khalid Jarrar, an Iraqi blogger captured by government and imprisoned for reporting Iraqi news on his blog.

7-18-2005: A Star from Mosul: "Give us our Khalid back (This post is staying on top till Khalid comes back)" Email, pnone DC: "You may go here to get your specific congressional representative's number and address."

7-18-2005: Baghdad Burning: " Prayers for Khalid…" "Khalid of the blog Tell Me a Secret has been abducted by the new Iraqi mukhabarat."

Help free Khalid by publicizing this on your blogs. Reporting the news should not be a jailable offense, anywhere in the world, but particularly not in a country where we have lost more than 1,700 lives in the name of securing freedom.

< Love and Wal-Mart | Cheney Tries to Block Bill To Limit Detainee Abuse >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Iraqi Blogger Released | 12 comments (12 topical)
    Re: Iraqi Blogger Released (none / 0) (#1)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:23 PM EST
    What the "H"???? but soon people here will be jailed for many unknown laws reason's, and for many unknown political reason that people will not face. what fun to come.

    Re: Iraqi Blogger Released (none / 0) (#2)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:23 PM EST
    Heh, I remember when the Republicans thought Iraqi bloggers were the coolest thing ever. Democracy, whiskey, sexy, and all that. But now I guess we'll have to hear about how he was in fact a terrorist all along.

    Re: Iraqi Blogger Released (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:23 PM EST
    Classic GOP and Bush White House...can't control the media? Jail them!! But that would never happen here right? Oh waite...its happening right now with Judith Miller... my bad...

    Re: Iraqi Blogger Released (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:23 PM EST
    Just posted on it. Hope it helps

    Re: Iraqi Blogger Released (none / 0) (#5)
    by Mreddieb on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:23 PM EST
    So much for spreading democracy and freedom in Iraq.

    Re: Iraqi Blogger Released (none / 0) (#6)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:23 PM EST
    That is democracy and freedom, Texas Republican-style. He's lucky he isn't getting a lethal injection...yet.

    Re: Iraqi Blogger Released (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:23 PM EST
    Tyranny 2.0 Tyranny Lite (50% less brutal than Brand Saddam!) Freedom on the march! (due process & free press sold seperately)

    Re: Iraqi Blogger Released (none / 0) (#8)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:24 PM EST
    So when Will bush order the dislodging of 50,000,000 people for freedom under control? after-all, we do live in a land of rights and freedom right? so how many will bush send to state prisons? and how many will go to Federal prisons? and how many will be disappeared?

    Re: Iraqi Blogger Released (none / 0) (#9)
    by desertswine on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:24 PM EST
    This is Bush's "shining beacon of democracy."

    Re: Iraqi Blogger Released (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:24 PM EST
    What bothers me most about the jailing of the Iraqi blogger isn't partisan. As someone who has kept a blog, I am appalled that someone's opinion can send him to jail. Of course, I understand that freedom of expression is not a universal idea. I don't know that Iraqis would be any better off if we hasn't invaded. Chances are Raed's would not even get past the government's censors. Look at China, for example. However, I am a Democrat, and would like to see Democracy working (or at least one good reason for invading in the first place). Hopefully bloggers will be welcome in Iraq soon.

    Re: Iraqi Blogger Released (none / 0) (#11)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:24 PM EST
    I was wondering how long it would be before either Riverbend's or Raed's family members gets picked up. Raed, if you're reading this, hang in there. It may be awhile.

    Re: Iraqi Blogger Released (none / 0) (#12)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:35 PM EST
    Great news. I hope the petitions and blog pressures (exposure) helped in his remarkably (by Iraqi democratic govt standards) early release.

    Iraqi Blogger Released | 12 comments (12 topical)