Night letter
Encyclopedia
A night letter is an unsigned leaflet distributed clandestinely, very much like the samizdat
that were distributed clandestinely by the dissidents in the Soviet Union
In the late 1970s, Israel
i peace
activists belonging to the Shelly Party (Peace and Equality for Israel) (מפלגת שלי - שלום ושוויון לישראל), a small left-wing party then holding two seats in the Knesset
, distributed numerous such night letters in the postboxes of Tel-Aviv houses. The leaflets contained eye-witness testimonies on severe human rights
violations committed by IDF
soldiers in the Occupied Territories
, whose publication was forbidden by the military censorship
. The leaflets were unsigned and at the time the party denied any connection with them. Only many years later did Uri Avnery
, at the time Knesset member for Shelly, admit to having composed the leaflets and organised their distribution, stating that this act was justified since the censorship had abused its power to withhold information from the public.
More recently, night letters
have been a tactic employed by the Taliban and other extremist groups in Afghanistan
to intimidate supporters of secular government and education.
Samizdat
Samizdat was a key form of dissident activity across the Soviet bloc in which individuals reproduced censored publications by hand and passed the documents from reader to reader...
that were distributed clandestinely by the dissidents in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
In the late 1970s, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
activists belonging to the Shelly Party (Peace and Equality for Israel) (מפלגת שלי - שלום ושוויון לישראל), a small left-wing party then holding two seats in the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
, distributed numerous such night letters in the postboxes of Tel-Aviv houses. The leaflets contained eye-witness testimonies on severe human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
violations committed by IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
soldiers in the Occupied Territories
Israeli-occupied territories
The Israeli-occupied territories are the territories which have been designated as occupied territory by the United Nations and other international organizations, governments and others to refer to the territory seized by Israel during the Six-Day War of 1967 from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria...
, whose publication was forbidden by the military censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
. The leaflets were unsigned and at the time the party denied any connection with them. Only many years later did Uri Avnery
Uri Avnery
Uri Avnery is an Israeli writer and founder of the Gush Shalom peace movement.A member of the Irgun as a teenager, Avnery sat in the Knesset from 1965–74 and 1979–81...
, at the time Knesset member for Shelly, admit to having composed the leaflets and organised their distribution, stating that this act was justified since the censorship had abused its power to withhold information from the public.
Persian world
There is a tradition of shabnama ("night letters") in the Persian world as well. Shabnama were widely distributed in the 20th century in Iran over the course of several revolutionary movements.More recently, night letters
Taliban propaganda
Taliban propaganda has, since the 2001 fall of their national government in Afghanistan, developed into a sophisticated public relations machine that is shaping perceptions in Afghanistan and abroad...
have been a tactic employed by the Taliban and other extremist groups in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
to intimidate supporters of secular government and education.