In Finland, “Islam is the new Russia!” Yle self censorship just like during the ‘good ol days’…
Alan Salehzadeh, a researcher and lecturer specializing in geopolitical conflicts and head of the Academic Menatto consulting firm, has been the target of censorship in Finland before.
Four years ago Salehzadeh’s 42 page study on Iran was removed from the website of the Finnish National Defense University at the request of the Iran ambassador to Finland “because the document critically examined Iran’s nuclear program and its treatment of Israel, women and minorities.” Since that time, Iran expert and researcher Salehzadeh has experienced the further censorship, coming from the taxpayer funded state media giant, Yle and the 2nd largest print media, the Helsingin Sanomat.
I first noticed it in a twitter exchange between @AlanSalehzadeh and Yle journalist @eeromantymaa, with the latter trying to spin the cancellation of an interview ”as just a routine thing”: 
#YLE‘s censorship strikes again. http://blogit.iltalehti.fi/alan-salehzadeh/2017/08/28/voi-voi-yle-tassa-sisallot-joita-yle-ei-tanaan-halunnutkaan-julkaista/ …. Overly sensitive types should avoid peeking at the link. Contains the censored content.
“Cancellations of interviews are the norm. Instead, blaming “censorship” on the company is one way to drive away journalists in the future.”
“I never get angry because interviews are cancelled. The media is the media. I get angry if things are being misrepresented.
#sensuuri”
After this the exchange deteriorated further with the Yle journalist continuing to harp on how Salehzdeh was just over blowing the situation to his own detriment.
”You blame repeatedly the company of censorship, and you do not “have the energy” when someone finds these accusations without merit?”
A little heads up to the wiseguy Yle journo, Eero Mäntymaa, people coming from totalitarian regime run societies are more apt to sniff out your BS than the average citizen who has lived in a free society for all his/her life. They know when they’re being lied and spun to, and little by little average folks are becoming adept to the same skill as Alan Salehzadeh.
NOTE: Also, during the exchange (or in the aftermath of it), Alan makes an interesting observation: “Yle had all the time in the world to read the Koran from cover to cover in it’s radio program, but my 3-minute analysis of the Middle East was too much? @Yleisradio”.
I have to add that, it was not just the koran being read on Yle from cover to cover, but they actually had a Muslim Brotherhood connected imam ‘explaining it’ as well…Anas Hajjar
The very same imam who paid (Hamas/Muslim Brotherhood linked) CAIR a visit just a little while ago, seated left at the table headed by none other than Nihad Awad himself.
NOTE II: Finland doesn’t need a state media, the private sector can manage all of its duties rather well, and even better.
Alan Salehzadeh’s piece on the incident in the Finnish tabloid, IltaLehti:
Too bad Yle. This is the content that YLE did not want to publish today
Too bad Yle. A small language group such as Finland, needs a publicly funded media. But, could journalists require a bit more professional skills? You would think that qualified journalists would be well-versed.
Today is a classic example of the incompetence of a non-named YLE journalist. The reporter played last week on 24.8. And asked to participate in the radio program. I had to consider geopolitical threats, especially from the Middle East, which should now be especially attended to in Finland. The interview was scheduled to be recorded today 28.8. At 10.15. I had regretted the calendar and prepared for the interview carefully. The program is Yle Speech Political Radio, which is coming today at 12.30.
The reporter called. We talked. I said that, as agreed, I wondered geopolitical threats emerging from the Middle East. She said okay. We started recording. When I got to the end, the journalist’s voice changed. Suddenly she sounded frightened, worried, and muttered that she did not intend to deal with this aspect of the program. So that recording will not be used, they may still concentrate on Brexit.
It is difficult to say what the content was too hard for Yle. I copied the notes I had made for the interview. Below, almost a word in the word list of what I was saying to the editor in the recording. Everyone can find out if there is anything stupidly scandalous here that should be censored.
I thank Iltalehti for freedom of speech. I am sorry on behalf of public broadcasting.
7 geopolitical threats to the Middle East that should be addressed in Finland (notes for interviews)
- NATO membership can bring strange partners to Finland, such as a partnership with Turkey, which is constantly pushing for the flames of conflict in the Middle East. This must be kept in mind, though it may be that NATO would also, in certain respects, also secure.
- For Finland, it is bad to be involved in conflicts in the Middle East. The Finnish military advisers are supporting, for example, the Kurds of Northern Iraq in the struggle against ISIS. The Finnish peacekeepers in the conflict area are also among others. Afghanistan. I see it as a good thing that Finland fights against terrorists and participates in UN peace missions, but Finland’s presence in those conflicts can bring with it revenge and even terrorist attacks.
- Returning jihadists and radicalized people increase insecurity in Finland and the EU. Political Islamic supporters and organizations that are linked to certain Islamic states and organizations may be dangerous to the West. For example, under the recent German elections, Erdogan of Turkey urged his millions of diasporas to work against Germany, and also ideologically Muslim Muslims in Europe could obey Erdogan. This has also been seen before, for example, in the late 1990s, when the EU imposed sanctions on Iran, the country said directly that if relations fail, Iran uses all of its hijackings in Europe to cause problems.
- The fourth is uncontrolled immigration.Finland can not control the country’s borders except the eastern border. Seeing some of the EU’s borders are also dependent on Turkey’s grace. If EU relations fails with Turkey, a country can use a refugee or immigration card against the EU. The most important thing is to move the asylum process to the country of origin, away from Europe. Safeguarding refugees need to be brought directly to Europe from the conflict zone. It is safer for the refugees themselves, does not have to pay smugglers and cross the sea on a small boat. Then refugee will also target the right people. From the point of view of security, it is important that here, as Vello, tens of thousands of people do not have a blank pledge, the background of which can not be resolved, waiting for an asylum decision. Immigrants may also bring domestic conflicts with them. This is why the authorities have to be more diligent.
- The fifth point is that integration problems and racism create a gap between new entrants and the people of the population. This is one of the important goals of terrorists. I think it should be equitable for people living here, but better controlling who comes here.
- Sixthly, attention should be paid to the education system. A religious style of dressing, which is used by day-old girls to hunt, is not suitable for Western countries. It can be born in a state of state where girls rushed or Muslims do everything else to remember. The contents of religious education must also be monitored more strictly. In the Middle East, we are very specific about what the Islamic rules are taught or preached and the authorities monitor the operation strictly for security reasons. There is a lot more fun here. I wonder why.
- Finland is geographically close to the extreme Islamists of the Caucasus , in Finland it is good to pay attention that the movement here is relatively easy with the Russian visa only. It should not be a blue-eyed attitude to the Tedeschi-Islamist rebellion, no matter what the politics is in Russia.
Alan Salehzadeh
