(RSF/IFEX) – On 9 October 2002, RSF denounced the Iranian authorities’ refusal to grant a visa to CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour as a “clear attack on press freedom.” Amanpour is covering British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw’s current Middle East tour. “Refusing a visa to a foreign journalist is nothing unusual for Iran, but this incident […]
(RSF/IFEX) – On 9 October 2002, RSF denounced the Iranian authorities’ refusal to grant a visa to CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour as a “clear attack on press freedom.” Amanpour is covering British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw’s current Middle East tour.
“Refusing a visa to a foreign journalist is nothing unusual for Iran, but this incident is obviously part of the present tension in US-Iran relations,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard. Calling on Iran to grant Amanpour a visa, he noted that the head of the official IRNA news agency was summoned by legal officials on 30 September after issuing the results of a public opinion poll indicating that 74.7 percent of Iranians want talks with the United States (US) to resume (see IFEX alert of 4 October 2002). The 22 September report appeared the day after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the “Guide of the Islamic Revolution”, delivered an especially harsh speech attacking the US.
Iranian officials gave no reason for refusing Amanpour’s visa application. During her last visit to the country, she prepared a report on Iranian young people that seems to have displeased the regime, which is in the habit of blocking the return of journalists who have prepared critical reports. CNN is viewed by Iranians via satellite.
RSF recalls than 10 journalists are imprisoned in Iran, serving sentences of between three and 11 years.
