VIDEO images released by Iran, showing some of the British naval personnel in detention after illegally entering the Iranian waters, have been aired all over the “civilized West”. Everyone could see how the Iranians are treating their captives.
The sailors appeared in a good health, showed no signs of electrocution or burn marks; and, there were no signs of beating on servicewoman Faye Turney’s face. There were no signs of stress or torture. In some scenes, the detainees were eating.
And still, the West, in particular the UK, is complaining. It accuses Iran of being uncivilized, describing the incident as “appalling”. It is also unacceptable to the West that the British captives should be made to talk on television and say things that they may regret later. It must be noted that the Iranians didn’t put any duct tape over their mouths, unlike the British do to their captives, so that they wouldn’t be able to talk at all.
Compare the video of the sailors to Abu Ghraib’s appalling images and humiliation the occupation forces inflicted on the Iraqis, as was depicted in the disturbing photographs circulated all over the world. What does it say about Western values?
The Iranian videos demonstrated the noble values of the Muslim world. There are some who say the only woman under detention among the British sailors appeared wearing the Islamic headscarf. What’s so wrong and harmful in wearing a piece of cloth on one’s head? Compare this to the images of hooded men held at Abu Ghraib jail by the US.
—Syed Sajjad Mahmud, Dubai
