Wikipedia:Suspected sock puppets/Artaxerex


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the case of suspected sockpuppetry. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page. All edits should go to the talk page of this case. If you are seeing this page as a result of an attempt to open a new case of sockpuppetry of the same user, read this for detailed instructions.

User:Artaxerex

 * Suspected sockpuppeteer


 * Suspected sockpuppets

Mehrshad123 21:17, 15 March 2007 (UTC)
 * Report submission by

The user and his/her sockpuppets appear at the same periods of times usually doing bursts of edits.
 * Evidence

In each case the sockpuppets re-edit the Reza Shah (and more recently also the Mohammad Reza Shah) article with (almost) identical information (in a style which can be called Vandalism) slightly changed to apparently look like it's from a different person. Each user appears immediately after the other in an apparent attempt to also circumvent policies on editing. The user and sockpuppets do not appear to be interested in anything other than editing the Reza Shah (and more recently also the Mohammad Reza Shah) article exclusively.
 * User "Melca" appears to exhibit the same behavior, but on the Mohammad Reza Shah (Reza Shah's son and successor) article. Dubious editing behavior and Personal attacks match the other suspected sockpuppets both in the time that the attacks first started and in characteristic of attacks and edits. Mehrshad123 23:08, 15 March 2007 (UTC)

The user and suspected sockpuppets also exhibit an identical pattern of attacking ALL editors involved with Reza Shah article with accusations of "Vandalism" and highly provocative Personal Attacks in addition to false accusations against the victims in Talk pages and Discussion pages.

"Artaxerex" 
 * Reversion History







Here he comments that "Yima" (the suspected sockpuppet account that had just been created on the same day) "has done a lot of research on this".



"Faranbazu" 







(Reversion of sockpuppet tag)



"Yima" (this user seems to have been created solely for very specific sockpuppetry on March 15, 2007)



"Napht" Created on 19 March, apparently with the only aim of participating in the discussion on Reza Shah, with a pattern very similar to the user Yima. Artaxerex again commends him on the quality of his research. The number of user id's created for the specific purpose of supporting Artaxerex/Faranbazu's case in this discussion is suspicious.

"Arteban1"

The user Arteban1 has joined the discussion on Talk:Mohammad Reza Pahlavi right after User Artaxerex (and his sockpuppet Faranbazu) were banned for sockpuppetry and violation of 3RR on this page, supporting the arguments presented by Faranbazu. Arteban1 has also immediately filed (albeit on an incorrect page) a request for checkuser directed at all those opposing the arguments of Artaxerex/Faranbazu, presenting practically no evidence for his claim. It therefore seems likely that Arteban1 is just another sockpuppet introduced to evade the ban on Artaxerex. It would be good if this could be checked.

Link to previous discussion and decision on the ban:.

Link to Arteban1's edit in support of the sockpuppets and accusation of sockpuppetry directed at many editors opposing his opinion:.

"Melca"

The invalid edits and personal attacks by this person have been going on for several weeks. His/Her POV additions are rejected by at least seven(7) other editors.
 * Comments

Examples of personal attacks quotes by user+sockpuppets:

''This is the ugly side of Persian monarchists. They are always all too ready for exhibiting their unabashedly fascist tendencies, their ugly glorification of Aryan race. (Note: User continually uses the word "Aryan" and "Aryan glorification" in article -- all references to Aryan'' were added by him/her.)

In reference to several editors' clean up of invalid edits, user/sockpuppet responds: ''This is the ugly side of Persian monarchists. They are always all too ready for exhibiting their unabashedly fascist tendencies, their ugly glorification of Aryan race, and all those paraphernalia of undemocratic and absurd titles like “King of Kings”, “Light of Aryans”, etc''

Similar attacks have been on-going for weeks.


 * Update: One of the user's suspected sockpuppets (Faranbazu) removed sockpuppet tag from their user page in violation of policy. Mehrshad123 06:02, 16 March 2007 (UTC)


 * Update 2: Another of the user's suspected sockpuppets (Artaxerex) removed sockpuppet tag from their user page in violation of policy. Mehrshad123 06:02, 16 March 2007 (UTC)


 * Comment: It must be noted that said in one of the messages in the talk page for the article: "Meanwhile I have asked some students of mine to watch the article, for disturbing propaganda and historical distortions."  thereforely it is very likely that even if it the user is not doing it himself those are meat puppets. Also Artaxerex has also posted/edited under the   --Rayis 09:54, 16 March 2007 (UTC)


 * Comment: I would like to say that I also suspect the existence of meat puppets as pointed out by Rayis, which would be consistent with the posts by Artaxerex referring to him and his students throughout the discussion. I would also like to add that I've had many discussion with User:Melca for a long time, and based on these I think that he/she is in fact only an honest participant in the discussion rather than a sockpuppet. Shervink 11:47, 16 March 2007 (UTC)shervink


 * Comment - What is this? Why don't you just apply for checkuser to get this resolved? And it is a little odd that the apparent purpose of this is to return to the whitewashed version of Reza Shah's article. Of course this is an unacceptable goal that basically involves ignoring tons of real sources and going instead for junk sources.  Will I be added to the sockpuppet list now? Maybe.  After all, it is a vast conspiracy, isn't it Mehrshad?  The Behnam 02:32, 20 March 2007 (UTC)
 * But seriously, request checkuser. They are way too similar editors.  He may be adding legitimate information some of the time, but still he should learn to play by the rules.  The Behnam 02:43, 20 March 2007 (UTC)


 * Faranbazu's Retort


 * As the record shows my contributions have always been referenced base. Unfortunately, Shervink, Merhshad123, Rayis, Khorshid, SG, Jahangard, Agha Nader and few others have constanly resorted to removing my edits and my references.
 * For example, in the current version again the idea that Reza Shah's reforms was superficial has been deleted, despite the fact that there was a citation from a seminal book, and I have other valid references.
 * They constanly rejected any evidence against Reza Shah as "pop culture" without providing any reference.
 * They have deleted all the references to the corruption of Reza Shah's regime, and his murdering of politicians and intellectuals.
 * They whitewash the fact that Reza shah destroyed the hard won constitutional monarchy of Ahmad Shah and paved the way for the total collpse of democracy in Iran.


 * If you look at their User talk pages, they have always contacted each other for coordinating their rv attacks.


 * please look at Mehrshad123's response to the third party intervention by Scott Wilson, and Melka.


 * please look at numerous warnings Shervink posted against me.
 * etc. etc. Etc.

I can not speak for others, but My aim is to have balanced articles on Reza Shah.

Faranbazu 22:33, 17 March 2007 (UTC)


 * Melca's response

I am not sure why i am listed here. The only apparent reason for me being suspected, appears to be that i cited an official wikipedia policy to Mehrshad123 and asked him to act civil. I did not engage in a revert war, in fact i haven't edited the mentioned articles for some time now. Mehrshad123 hasnt even provided any evidence against me, other than "User Melca appears to exhibit the same behavior", so i could just remove the tag from my userpage, however, i choose not to. Can someone therefore please do the sock puppet check asap, so the tag can be removed from my userpage.. thanks. --- Melca 09:32, 22 March 2007 (UTC)


 * Comment - I also think this is a wrong accusation in the sace of Melca, but in the case of the other users there seems to be merit to the suspicion, so there should be an RFCU. I posted the case at Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents for now. Shervink 09:40, 22 March 2007 (UTC)shervink


 * Conclusions

Napht is a clear sockpuppet and has been blocked. Melca and Yima do not appear to be socks, IP is stale and may have changed hands. Seraphimblade Talk to me 11:01, 29 March 2007 (UTC)