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Editorial Cartooning in Iran; TO DRAW OR NOT TO DRAW,THERE IS NO QUESTION!
Years ago, when I was a Geology student of the TEHRAN UNIVERSITY, I started drawing caricatures of my professors. The result was loosing grades. After a few months, I was working as a cartoonist for Iran's most popular satirical magazine; GOLAGHA. Because of reaching to a professional point, I was a real threat to my professors! Once, one of them gave me a useful advice. He said: "Don't forget! We are living in a country that nobody tolerates to be criticized. In Iran, they know critics as harmful people that just humiliate." I didn't pay attention to his useful words. After 8 years, because of drawing a cartoon that didn't have any thing to do with any special cleric, or official, I was threatened by the hard-liners. There was a great gathering of clergy students in the holy city of QUM, they all wanted my death. They believed that I had made fun of a famous cleric, AYATULLAH MESBAH-e YAZDI. In the cartoon, I had drawn a crocodile that was killing a journalist, and crying crocodile tears, pretending to receive harm from the poor journalist. I had named the crocodile,OSTAD TEMSAH (prof. Crocodile). Unfortunately, the names rhymed. The newspaper, volunterely stopped publishing for a week). And worse than that was that I was arrested, and sent to prison.(02.06.2000) It wasn't the first time that a cartoonist was imprisoned in Iran, but since the cartoon had provided a crisis, just before the parliamentary elections, almost all the nation had noticed the arrest of a cartoonist. After 6 days, I was free on bail, but I didn't have permission to draw until ten days. the same day I was sent out of prison, I had a call from CRN's Dr. Robert Russell. It was wonderful. From that day, I had CRN's support. After that, I had to take more care, not only because of my trial, but also my colleagues! If another cartoon of mine would have attracted the Hard liners in a similar way, they could loose their jobs, because the newspaper could have been banned by the court. I had become a famous journalist, but I was always waiting to be stabbed from behind. I had a geologic hammer, and kept it under my jacket, as a self defense weapon. In a few months, most of the reformist papers were banned, I had lost all my jobs, and living was really difficult. I was waiting for the second arrest. Living under tension for a cartoonist that had always tried to draw funny features, and for his family, was a bad experience. I had to prove that I was innocent to people that hated me. My mother, who lives in another city, had received notes, the hardliners had promised to get rid of his son, as soon as he showed up. 13 months later, I wrote a letter to the famous cleric. I wrote him that I didn't mean to be rude to him, and I only wanted to draw a simple cartoon for my audience. I added:" your Excellency, if you or any of your followers have been harmed and humiliated by my cartoon, I really feel sorry ,and apologize". I sent it by fax, and received his answer in 10 minutes; he had accepted my apology, and just asked me to pay more attention. The good part was that I received no threats from his believers, but many friends of mine that hated him, left me alone. They wanted me to be their hero against the powerful AYATULLAH . Later that year, I gave a speech, for art students and a group of journalists, indicating that we have to know that passing the red lines (borders), in our country is dangerous. It's better to understand the non-written rules, and change our techniques and paths, to let journalism live. Today I believe that I was right. We are not supposed to under estimate the conservatives who are in charge .The do not want to be criticized, to them, critics are the same harmful people that my professor had talked about, years before. Whenever I receive the court's calling note, to show up, I feel a lot of stress and tension, even once I had to stay at the icu section of a hospital for a few nights, because of my heart problem. Since drawing that crocodile cartoon, I have always felt the DAMOCLES sword hanging above my head. I have tried to show a safe path to my students at the IRANIAN CARTOON HOUSE, and most of them show me their artworks, to learn more about the problems they might be stuck into. I don't believe in self-censorship, but I understand that keeping the Editorial Cartooning tradition in Iran is more important than getting famous for a dangerous cartoon. I encouraged my colleagues to draw cartoons on International subjects, so they could sell their cartoons to other countries ,or Iranian International newspapers. I established Iran's first professional website, consisting of Iran's best professional cartoonists who could draw international editorial cartoons. I went to many officials, spoke with them about cartooning and the dangers we feel, so they could understand us better. I took my books to a few important clerics in charge, and asked them to review the cartoons, and se if they could change their minds. In a few cases, it was useful. Today, after three years, I still feel the tension, whenever they call me to the court. When a cartoon is published that has somehow past the traditional borders, I have to be scared, because everyone thinks that NIKAHANG has drawn that cartoon. Recently, the Hayat-e No newspaper was banned, for republishing an old American cartoon. I was threatened again! The hardliners believed that I had drawn the 65 year old cartoon! I lost 2 jobs in a week. Because I used to work for Hayat-no, and another newspaper (BAHAR), was shut down for a simple excuse, just a day after the other one. * * * * * * I have learned a lot during the past three years, especially from the other endangered cartoonists around the world. CRN has provided a situation for many cartoonists who have never met, to transfer their experiences, and to show each other how have they kept their spirits alive. I feel that I have to learn more and more. One day, younger cartoonists have to learn what I have experienced, and I hope that they could find a safe path to Freedom of Speech.
NIKAHANG KOWSAR |
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