Talk:Hugh Sykes (journalist)

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Lies and Racism by Hugh Sykes[edit]

This "journalist" has spread racist and islamophobic lies to support an anti-Iran and anti-Islam bias. From Seyyed Mohammad Marandi:

One of the problems of having a sensible discussion about relations between the ‘West’ and Iran, as well as developments inside the country, is that western journalism is far from sensible. Iranian society is regularly depicted as abnormal and irrational, which itself helps reinforce the claim that Iran is a threat that cannot be dealt with through dialogue and reason. Recently, for example, Hugh Sykes of the BBC offered the report ‘Iranian women battle the system’ (BBC News September 5, 2008). Amidst the misleading statements he makes, which makes the report look like a propaganda piece, one is particularly notable. Not only is it completely untrue, but Sykes tries to convert that falsehood into a “fact” accepted throughout Iran. This is Sykes’ text:

"There is little protection against so-called ‘honour killings’ for women who are raped; a husband - or a father – who kills the rape victim may face only a short jail sentence.

“This is inhuman,” a law professor at Teheran University, Rosa Gharachorloo, told me.

Most of the people I have spoken to here agree: they believe rape victims should be comforted, not killed.

First, the University of Tehran does not have a law professor whose name is Rosa Gharachorloo. More important, however, is the fact that everyone, not almost everyone, that I know believes rape victims should be comforted, not killed and that is why such an ‘honour killings’ culture does not exist in Iran. Indeed, those who commit such a crime in Iran can expect to face capital punishment, while their victims can expect state support. Unfortunately, for Sykes, there is no known law in Iran that allows leniency for the murder of rape victims.

[to source]. I'm sure with a little effort you could figure out much more about this evil person.

Is Hugh Sykes related to famous Sykes'?[edit]

I see very little biographical detail in the Wikipedia entry for Hugh Sykes. In a recent BBC radio programme I heard the subject mention that they grew up in Iran as the son of a diplomat. Which made me wonder if Hugh was related to the more famous Sykes family (descended from Mark Sykes).