(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has welcomed the 28 June 2005 release of journalist Yosef Azizi Banitrouf – following payment of $US25,000 in bail – but noted that four other journalists remain in prison in Iran. Banitrouf was arrested at his home on 25 April. “His release is very good news but we must not forget that […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has welcomed the 28 June 2005 release of journalist Yosef Azizi Banitrouf – following payment of $US25,000 in bail – but noted that four other journalists remain in prison in Iran. Banitrouf was arrested at his home on 25 April.
“His release is very good news but we must not forget that four other journalists are still being held in Evin prison in very harsh conditions, that one of them, Akbar Ganji, has been on hunger strike for the past 19 days, and that all of them urgently need appropriate medical treatment,” the organisation said.
Iranian journalists are constantly subject to arbitrary measures ranging from newspaper bans to imprisonment, RSF said. “The new government must put a stop to the arrest and illegal detention of intellectuals and journalists,” the organisation urged.
Banitrouf worked for the daily “Hamshari” for 12 years but was recently fired by the ultra-conservatives who took over the newspaper’s management. Since then he has contributed to several other news media.
