The Power of Political Cartoons in Iran
Omid Memarian (Photo: Courtesy Omid Memarian)
Carol Hills speaks with Omid Memarian, an Iranian journalist and blogger who’s edited a new book called “Sketches of Iran: A Glimpse from the Front Lines of Human Rights.”
Those ‘sketches’ are political cartoons and most (but not all) are by Iranians who are now in exile because their cartoons irked Iranian authorities.
Political cartoons have played an important role in Iranian newspapers for decades but the nature of social media has put their dissemination out of the reach of Iranian authorities who are still eager to control their message.
Omid Memarian was working as a journalist in Iran when he was arrested in 2004.
He served time in prison where he was tortured repeatedly.
Memarian now lives in the US where he continues to work as a journalist.
He believes political cartoons are a great way to communicate about rights issues in Iran.
For more recent political cartoons by Iranians both inside and outside Iran, check out this slideshow.
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