UPDATE - IRAN
15 June 2007
Three journalists sentenced to prison, another on trial, for covering
demonstrations;
"Disgah" and Kurdistan TV reporters out on bail
SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris
**New case and update to IFEX alerts on the Ghavami (Qavami) case of 24 and
8 August, 25 April and 3 March 2005; updates the Toloui (Tolou) alerts of
12 October and 24 August 2005; updates the Saedi (Saidi) alert of 24 August
2005; updates the Salah and Jahani alerts of 15 March 2007**
(RSF/IFEX) - RSF has condemned the judicial harassment of journalists who
cover demonstrations. Four have been tried by revolutionary tribunals in
recent weeks, three of them receiving prison sentences. Others are awaiting
trial or the announcement of the court's verdict.
"We are dismayed by these sentences," the press freedom organisation said.
"These journalists just did their duty to report the news and have been
convicted for political reasons. If there is a political activity in Iran,
the media must cover it. But once again, brute force is the government's
only response."
A revolutionary tribunal in the city of Sanandaj, in Iran's Kurdish
northwestern region, sentenced Ejlal Ghavami of "Payam-e mardom-e
Kurdistan" (a weekly that has been closed by the authorities since 2004) to
three years in prison on 9 June 2007 for "inciting revolt" and "undermining
national security." Freelance journalist Said Saedi was sentenced to two
and a half years in prison on the same charges. The same tribunal sentenced
Roya Toloui, the editor of the newspaper "Resan", to six months in prison
on 22 May. Her newspaper has been closed since 2005.
All three journalists were arrested while covering a peaceful demonstration
outside the prefect's office in Sanandaj on 30 July 2005 and were held for
several months before being freed on bail. Tolui is now abroad. Saedi and
Ghavami still live in Iran. They say that whenever they have tried to work
for a newspaper since 2005, its editors have been harassed by the
intelligence agencies.
Condemning their conviction and sentences, their lawyer, Nemat Ahamdi, told
RSF: "They are journalists, and it is normal for journalists to be out on
the streets doing their job and going to places where there are
demonstrations. This conviction is unacceptable and we are going to
appeal."
Aso Salah of the weekly "Disgah" has meanwhile been summoned to appear
before the Sanandaj court on 16 June. He was arrested by intelligence
operatives on 8 March after covering an International Women's Day
demonstration, and was released on 18 March 2007 after paying 100 million
toumen (approx. 85,000 euros) in bail.
In Tehran, Bahaman Ahmadi Amoee of the daily "Sarmayeh" was summoned and
tried on 6 June by the revolutionary court's 13th division on charges of
"participating in an illegal demonstration," "undermining national
security" and "publicity against the Islamic Republic." The verdict is
pending. He was arrested along with two other journalists while covering a
feminist movement's demonstration against "sexual apartheid in Iran" on 22
June 2006.
Kia Jahani of Kurdistan TV, who was arrested for no clear reason in the
city of Marivan on 24 February 2007, was freed on bail at the beginning of
May.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Ayatollah Khamenei are both on RSF's list
of the world's 34 worst press freedom predators.
For further information contact Hajar Smouni, RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy Marie,
Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51,
e-mail: moyen-orient@rsf.org, Internet: http://www.rsf.org/
The information contained in this update is the sole responsibility of RSF.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.
--------------
DISTRIBUTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE
555 Richmond St. West, # 1101, PO Box 407
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 3B1
tel: +1 416 515 9622 fax: +1 416 515 7879
alerts e-mail: alerts@ifex.org general e-mail: ifex@ifex.org
Internet site: http://www.ifex.org/