(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – On 18 September 1997, Faraj Sarkoohi, editor of the literary monthly “Adineh”, was sentenced, in camera, to twelve months’ imprisonment. The sentence is to run from 27 January 1997 to 27 January 1998. Sarkoohi was charged with slandering the Islamic Republic of Iran by writing an open letter, published internationally (see also […]
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – On 18 September 1997, Faraj Sarkoohi, editor of the
literary monthly “Adineh”, was sentenced, in camera, to twelve months’
imprisonment. The sentence is to run from 27 January 1997 to 27 January
1998. Sarkoohi was charged with slandering the Islamic Republic of Iran by
writing an open letter, published internationally (see also IFEX alert of 30
January 1997), claiming he was detained by Iranian secret police between 3
November and December 1996.
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 21 August, 3 July, 26 June 1997, 15 November
1996, and others**
ARTICLE 19 has been given to understand that Sarkoohi still faces trial for
allegedly attempting to leave Iran illegally accompanied by his brother.
Background Information
According to an alert issued by Reporters sans frontieres, Sarkoohi had
already been held and harassed several times before when, on 3 November
1996, he was taken and held in secret by the Iranian information service.
Under pressure, Iranian authorities on 3 February 1997 finally acknowledged
that Sarkoohi had been arrested. Tehran then announced that the journalist
would be tried. In a letter made public on 30 January, Sarkoohi recounted
the physical and psychological torture to which he had been subjected for 47
days. During this detention, authorities were claiming that Sarkoohi was in
Germany, something which has always been refuted by Bonn. In October 1994,
Sarkoohi, along with other writers and journalists, signed a letter known as
the “Declaration of the 134”, asking for an end to censorship in Iran. Since
then, three signatories have lost their lives (see IFEX alerts).
