(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the head of the magistracy, Ayatollah Sharoudi, RSF protested the arrest of Ahmad Gabel, a journalist for “Hayat-é-No”. “This jailing is new evidence that the authorities will not put an end to arrests in 2002. Moreover, we are worried about the plight of seven journalists whose trial is to […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the head of the magistracy, Ayatollah Sharoudi, RSF protested the arrest of Ahmad Gabel, a journalist for “Hayat-é-No”. “This jailing is new evidence that the authorities will not put an end to arrests in 2002. Moreover, we are worried about the plight of seven journalists whose trial is to begin soon,” stated RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard. “We request that you release Ahmad Gabel along with the seventeen other journalists who are currently imprisoned in Iran,” he added.
According to information collected by RSF, Gabel was arrested on 31 December 2001, on orders of the Special Court for the Clergy. A journalist from “Hayat-é-No”, Gabel also wrote editorials in many reformist publications and regularly gave interviews to foreign radio stations. He is known for his strong criticism of the conservative guard, most notably of Islamic Republic Guide Ali Khamenei. Several hours before Gabel’s arrest, Radio Freedom had interviewed him.
In addition, on 8 January, the trial of seven more journalists will begin behind closed doors. Reza Alijani, Ezatollah Sahabi, Hoda Saber, Saide Madani, Ahmad Zeid-Abadi (from “Iran-é-Farda”), Taghi Rahmani (from “Omid-é-Zangan”) and Ali-Reza Redjaï (from “Asr-é-Azadegan”) are to be tried. They are accused of “blasphemy”, which is punishable by death. Four of the journalists are currently imprisoned. Their lawyers have yet to be granted access to their files.
RSF recalls that Iran currently holds the unfortunate record of being the biggest prison for journalists in the Middle East, with eighteen persons behind bars. Khamenei is included on RSF’s list of thirty-nine international press freedom predators.
