(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called for the immediate release of reformist Iranian Arab journalist Yosef Azizi Banitrouf, who was arrested in a raid on his home on 25 April 2005. The organisation also demanded the release of dissident journalist Reza Alijani, expressing great concern about his deteriorating health after two years in prison. “We strongly […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called for the immediate release of reformist Iranian Arab journalist Yosef Azizi Banitrouf, who was arrested in a raid on his home on 25 April 2005. The organisation also demanded the release of dissident journalist Reza Alijani, expressing great concern about his deteriorating health after two years in prison.
“We strongly deplore the arrest of Banitrouf, who was simply expressing his personal opinion in articles and in interviews given to newspapers,” RSF said. “As soon as a journalist speaks out in Iran, the authorities crack down, either by closing the paper concerned or throwing the journalist in prison. There are now 12 journalists and cyber-dissidents in jail in Iran, which remains the Middle East’s biggest prison for journalists.”
Eight plainclothes agents raided Banitrouf’s home and seized all his papers, his computer and address book. The agents said they had a warrant, but refused to show it to his wife or indicate where they were taking him, though he is thought to be in Teheran’s Evin prison, along with most of the country’s other jailed journalists. After giving interviews to the national and international media a few hours after her husband was taken away, Banitrouf’s wife received threatening phone calls from one of the agents, who told her not to talk to the media.
The arrest followed ethnic clashes on 15 April in the southern region of Khuzistan between security forces and the majority Arab community. Banitrof is a leading Arab intellectual in Iran and had defended the protesters and condemned the violence. He worked for the Persian-language daily “Hamshari” for 12 years, but was sacked when hardliners took over management of the paper. He now writes for several other papers.
RSF said Alijani’s respiratory problems had worsened because of the harsh conditions of his detention. Officials at Evin prison have refused to grant him the medical treatment he urgently needs, despite pleas from his wife. The organisation called for his immediate release so he could be cared for by doctors.
Alijani has been in Evin prison since 14 June 2003. He began a hunger strike on 20 April 2005, but was too weak to keep it up longer than three days, after losing eight kilograms.
