Reactions to Mockery of Disabled Individuals on Islamic Republic Television; Users: It's a Degradation of Disability Representation

The "ruthless mockery" of disabled individuals in a recreational program on the Islamic Republic's state television has faced a wave of criticism from users on social media and an apology from one of the judges of the program. The Disabled Campaign on Tuesday, February 20, published a segment from the show "Bego Bekhand" on Nasim TV, where one of the contestants in a "talent show" mimics the movements of disabled individuals. This campaign harshly criticized the Islamic Republic's state television, calling it a "promoter of mockery and a derogatory attitude towards people with disabilities". The campaign further stated: "This ridiculous program shows only one minute of about ten minutes of ruthless mockery of disabled individuals for laughter, entertainment, and fun in the Bego Bekhand program on Nasim TV." Social media users reacted to this by criticizing the "degradation in the representation of disability" and the rampant presence of "foolish managers and clownish presenters". The newspaper Etemad described the major pain of state television as "lack of audience". A user named Siavash Safarianpour, who is a television producer, wrote: "I am sorry to see this piece of the program and I protest against this level of degradation in the representation of disability." A user identifying as a doctor wrote that state television, which was supposed to be a university, has become a playground for "foolish managers and clownish presenters". Reza Shiri, a pop singer with three deaf sisters, tearfully demanded accountability from the program's producers, stating in a message: "Sir, I am not feeling well!" Following widespread criticism, Alireza Khomse, one of the four judges of the "Bego Bekhand" program, apologized to disabled individuals for not addressing this display. The Etemad newspaper also reacted to the "mockery of disabled individuals on television" by stating: "Lack of audience is a great pain that has gripped state television." The newspaper pointed out the "inflation and high prices and lack of government funds" for disabled individuals and their repeated and fruitless protests, asking: "Where should they place the mockery in the national media?" On the Nasim TV website, it is stated that the second season of the "Bego Bekhand" program, produced by Ehsan Hosseini and hosted by Abdollah Rava, with judges Naeimeh Nazemdoost, Alireza Khomse, Shahram Shakiba, and Shahab Abbasi in the fields of music, theater, and stand-up, is on air. The widespread criticisms of this program led to a statement from the public relations of the "Bego Bekhand" program, which the Disabled Campaign referred to as "an excuse worse than the sin". This statement accused "some media" of "unprofessional atmosphere creation" without providing evidence and added: "The related display had no connection with disabled individuals, and the actors were trying to portray beggars pretending to be disabled." The public relations of "Bego Bekhand" concluded the issued statement by saying, "In the end, if due to the misunderstanding created by this program, part of the community, especially the dear disabled individuals of the country, has been affected, we bow our heads in apology." A part of the disabled community has repeatedly held protests in various cities regarding the non-implementation of the "Support for Disabled Individuals" law or the incomplete execution of its provisions in recent years and months. According to Article 27 of the Support for Disabled Individuals Law passed in 2017, the Islamic Republic government is obligated to determine the "livelihood assistance" for individuals with "very severe" or "severe disabilities without jobs and income" at the level of the annual minimum wage and to apply the necessary credits in the annual budget laws of the country. A social activist stated: "The arrears of disability benefits have not yet been paid. The authorities' resistance in response to the minimal demands of disabled individuals; the government's refusal to increase livelihood assistance. Government agents attacked the protest gathering of disabled individuals in Tehran. A meeting of protest representatives with the managers of the Planning and Budget Organization; the payment of disabled individuals' arrears remains unresolved.