2009-09-17 08:16:42 - An Iranian journalist is still in solitary confinement while in Iraq the shoe thrower goes home to a hero’s welcome.

Journalist Fariba Pajouh, Iran, has been thrown into solitary confinement for three weeks, in Tehran’s Evin Prison. Pajouh had been expressing her personal views on her blog ‘Beyond The Rain’.

Pajouh’s was arrested by agents from Iran’s intelligence ministry, at her family’s home on the first day of Ramadan. Her father said his daughter is believed to be under heavy pressure to confess to indecent conduct, a charge commonly made against female prisoners. Opposition protesters are expected to take to the streets on the one day of the year set aside in Iran for public protests against Israel.

In Afghanistan, journalist, Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh, 24 has been pardoned and released from prison.
Kambakhsh was arrested in 2007 and sentenced to die for downloading

an analysis of what the Koran says about women, from the Internet. In October 2008 the sentence was revoked to 20 years imprisonment by an appeals court. In a further appeal in March the sentence was upheld again. Now Kambakhsh has been granted a pardon by President Hamid Karzai.

In Iraq, Muntazer al-Zaidi, the journalist who threw his size 10 shoe at George Bush, during his last visit to Iraq, shouted “This is your farewell kiss you dog. This is for the widows and orphans of Iraq.” Zaidi had prepared himself to receive an American bullet and was not afraid to die. He always felt he would be killed either by al-Qaeda or the Americans.

Iraq is preparing a hero’s welcome home for Zaidi, after 9 months in prison, in spite of the Iraq government having been embarrassed by the incident. Political pressure was applied to remove a large statue erected of the shoe.

Zaidi was sentenced to three years in prison. This was cut to one year on appeal because he had no criminal record and released three months early because of good behaviour.

Abdul-Hamid al-Sayah, manager of the Cairo-based station and former boss of Zaidi, has built Zaidi a new four-bedroom house. A new car awaits Zaidi, plus pledges of harem. Money and health care are pouring into his employers and the al-Baghdadia television channel. Zaidi has declined offers of a political career.
“The Emir of Qatar promised a golden horse, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi (of Libya) said he would award him Libya's highest honour,” reported Dargham, Zaidi’s brother.

“One Iraqi who lives in Morocco called to offer to send his daughter to be Zaidi’s wife.” said editor Abdul Hamid al-Saij. Another called from Saudi Arabia offering $10 million for the shoes. Calls pour in from women in Palestine asking to marry the hero.

Zaidi’s brother said, “Zaidi alleges he was tortured by government officials. He has lost teeth, has two broken ribs and a broken foot has not healed. He will stay in Iraq, but first he has to leave the country to get his health fixed.”

Zaidi had designs to open an orphanage when he leaves prison and is interested in working in a humanitarian organization, or becoming an activist for women’s and orphan’s rights.