Two Iranian footballers are facing 74 lashes after an "immoral" goal celebration on the pitch.
Footage of the live televised match showed defender Mohammad Nosrati pinching the bottom of Persepolis teammate Sheys Rezaei during a goal celebration against rivals Damash Gilan.
Now Rezaei and Nosrati are facing a flogging, possibly on the pitch where the celebration took place, after a judge said they may have violated public chastity laws.
Judge Valiollah Hosseini told the state-run Fars news agency that the punishment for violating the chastity law is up to two months in prison and 74 lashes.
"It is even worse to do these actions before the eyes of thousands of spectators and TV cameras," he was quoted as saying.
YouTube footage of the celebration quickly went viral and has been featured on numerous Western media websites.
In a YouTube video Rezaei is shown hugging another, unidentified teammate to celebrate Persepolis's winning goal in the final minutes of a 3-2 win.
Rezaei and Nosrati, known as the "Minister of Defence" for his skills on the pitch, have already been banned from football for an "indefinite period" and fined the equivalent of £25,000 for the "immoral" acts.
Both players have also been suspended by Tehran-based Persepolis, which is financially backed by the government.
In recent years the Iranian federation has toughened the rules governing on-field behaviour including sanctioning the use of foul language by players and spectators.
Homosexuality is outlawed in Iran and can carry the death penalty.
Source: Sky News
My MMV
In 2007 Iranian President Ahmedinejad had said in a speech at Columbia University that there are no guys in Iran. His aide later conceded that there are in fact homosexuals in Iran. Now Iran wants to show the World that it is in fact a barbaric country with barbaric laws. We urge Iran to reconsider it's decision to flog these players.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Halal Whisky Goes on Sale
With the festive party season fast approaching, many people will be thinking about how best to avoid suffering the effects of a nasty hangover.
But thanks to one new drink, you need not worry.
Party goers can have as many 'wee drams' as they like following the launch of the world's first alcohol-free Whisky.
Lovers of Scotch may not be lining up to sample the tipple but its makers are hopeful it'll help them crack the non-alcoholic drinks market.
Makers of ArKay, dubbed 'Halal Whisky', say it will be suitable for any party occasion for teetotalers and people who cannot drink alcohol for religious reasons.
The drink - which will be sold in cans for £4 and bottles for £10 - will go on sale worldwide on December 1, just in time for seasonal festivities.
A spokesman for ArKay, which is based in America, said: 'The exceptional taste of whisky without the alcohol content makes it a perfect beverage day or night.
But thanks to one new drink, you need not worry.
Party goers can have as many 'wee drams' as they like following the launch of the world's first alcohol-free Whisky.
Lovers of Scotch may not be lining up to sample the tipple but its makers are hopeful it'll help them crack the non-alcoholic drinks market.
Makers of ArKay, dubbed 'Halal Whisky', say it will be suitable for any party occasion for teetotalers and people who cannot drink alcohol for religious reasons.
The drink - which will be sold in cans for £4 and bottles for £10 - will go on sale worldwide on December 1, just in time for seasonal festivities.
A spokesman for ArKay, which is based in America, said: 'The exceptional taste of whisky without the alcohol content makes it a perfect beverage day or night.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
French magazine offices petrol-bombed after it prints Muhammad cartoon
The offices of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo have been burned out in a petrol-bomb attack after a special Arab spring edition entitled "Sharia Hebdo" featured a cartoon of the prophet Muhammad on the cover as "guest editor".At around 1am the offices were gutted after a petrol bomb was thrown into a window and set light to the computer system, blowing out windows and burning most of the office contents.
The fire happened before the "sharia" edition was to hit news stands on Wednesday morning in what the paper had mockingly called a 'celebration' of the victory of the moderate Islamist party in the Tinisian election, and the Libyan transitional executive's statement that Islamic sharia law would be the country's main source of law. On the front page a cartoon prophet Muhammad says: "100 lashes if you don't die of laughter!"
It is not the first time the weekly has published cartoons of Muhammad, depictions of whom are forbidden in Islam. In 2007 a Paris court threw out an attempt by two Muslim organisations to sue the paper for reprinting the prophet Muhammad cartoon that had been published by a Danish newspaper and sparked protests worldwide.
The magazine's editor, known only as Charb, told France Inter radio that for the past few days the paper had received threats on Twitter and Facebook and by post, which had been passed on to police. He said he was sickened and angry that "violence could be used to counter drawings".
He told Agence France Presse he rejected accusations that he was trying to provoke, saying the magazine was "just doing our job as usual".
The Socialist-run Paris City Hall said it would help Charlie Hebdo find a new office. "We'd never leave an organ of the free press without offices. It's the duty of the republic. Charlie Hebdo should be able to continue to work," tweeted Christophe Girard, a deputy mayor of Paris.
Mohammed Moussaoui, head of the French Council for the Muslim Faith (CFCM), said he "strongly condemned" the fire if police did confirm it was a criminal attack.
In 2006, the CFCM brought a lawsuit against Charlie Hebdo for publishing caricatures of the prophet that he said were "a lot more violent". He told AFP the front page of this week's edition "wasn't of the same order" but added that the simple fact of caricaturing the prophet was considered offensive to Muslims.
Jean-Francois Copé, secretary general of Nicolas Sarkozy's ruling rightwing UMP party, condemned the apparent arson attack, telling Europe 1 radio it was "an attack against a newspaper in a country which should stand for freedom of expression".
The Guardian
The fire happened before the "sharia" edition was to hit news stands on Wednesday morning in what the paper had mockingly called a 'celebration' of the victory of the moderate Islamist party in the Tinisian election, and the Libyan transitional executive's statement that Islamic sharia law would be the country's main source of law. On the front page a cartoon prophet Muhammad says: "100 lashes if you don't die of laughter!"
It is not the first time the weekly has published cartoons of Muhammad, depictions of whom are forbidden in Islam. In 2007 a Paris court threw out an attempt by two Muslim organisations to sue the paper for reprinting the prophet Muhammad cartoon that had been published by a Danish newspaper and sparked protests worldwide.
The magazine's editor, known only as Charb, told France Inter radio that for the past few days the paper had received threats on Twitter and Facebook and by post, which had been passed on to police. He said he was sickened and angry that "violence could be used to counter drawings".
He told Agence France Presse he rejected accusations that he was trying to provoke, saying the magazine was "just doing our job as usual".
The Socialist-run Paris City Hall said it would help Charlie Hebdo find a new office. "We'd never leave an organ of the free press without offices. It's the duty of the republic. Charlie Hebdo should be able to continue to work," tweeted Christophe Girard, a deputy mayor of Paris.
Mohammed Moussaoui, head of the French Council for the Muslim Faith (CFCM), said he "strongly condemned" the fire if police did confirm it was a criminal attack.
In 2006, the CFCM brought a lawsuit against Charlie Hebdo for publishing caricatures of the prophet that he said were "a lot more violent". He told AFP the front page of this week's edition "wasn't of the same order" but added that the simple fact of caricaturing the prophet was considered offensive to Muslims.
Jean-Francois Copé, secretary general of Nicolas Sarkozy's ruling rightwing UMP party, condemned the apparent arson attack, telling Europe 1 radio it was "an attack against a newspaper in a country which should stand for freedom of expression".
The Guardian
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