Iranian Police Arrests operators of a Facebook Social Network Site ‘Poff-o-Duff’

Stop Fundamentalism – Iranian police says it has arrested some members of an Iranian Facebook social network known as “Poff-o-Duff” , reported Mehr state-run news website this morning.

“The members of this network spread corruption and prostitution,” said Iran’s police chief, Kamal Hadianfar, to Mehr. He added that the network has some 27000 members.

The network members are mostly Iranian youngsters making friends on Facebook. 

Hadianfar says 2 men and 2 women have been arrested in relation to the network.

Following the death sentese order for Saeed Malekpour, an Iranian-Canadian website owner on the charges of promoting adultery, the Iranian authorities had warned they will be doing more arrests with regards to adult charges on the internet.

Iran has one of the highest number of internet bloggers in the world and social networking is very popular in Iran, specially among the younger generation.  Social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Youtube are credited for the 2009-2010 after-election uprisings in Iran.

Poff-o-Duff was mainly a socialization network and was not involved in any politics whether in support or against the Iranian regime.

The Iranian regime, with less than two months away from the so-called elections for its parliament, has been trying to crackdown on internet users and activists to prevent a similar outbreak.  Following the protests, now the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has sidelined his President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whom he supported during the uprising back into the office.

Iran is also wary of its internal situation as the new oil and Central Bank sanctions would begin to effect its governing powers.  Dollar is already sold for twice the price it used to be sold less than three months ago.  Also some members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have come forward criticizing the single handed rule of the Ayatollah Khamenei.