During the October 2002 referendum of approval for Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein with a group of other Western journalists, I was taken on tightly guarded, guided bus tours showing us the achievements and suffering of the country under a UN embargo and celebrations of 100% approval for the Iraqi leader.
It was impossible to move around freely.
There was even a sign banning me from photographing out of the window of my room in the Hotel Al-Safeer.
The only thing Iraqi TV showed 24/7 were the same about 150 or so short clips of Saddam Hussein being celebrated. Over and over again.