(RSF/IFEX) – In a 6 September 1999 letter to President Khatami, RSF protested the banning of “Neshat”, a leading moderate daily, by the judiciary on 5 September. Pointing out that the “suspension of a newspaper awaiting trial contravenes press freedom,” RSF called for the resumption of publication and underlined that “expressing an opinion, however controversial, […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a 6 September 1999 letter to President Khatami, RSF
protested the banning of “Neshat”, a leading moderate daily, by the
judiciary on 5 September. Pointing out that the “suspension of a newspaper
awaiting trial contravenes press freedom,” RSF called for the resumption of
publication and underlined that “expressing an opinion, however
controversial, should be regarded as a basic right and be part of a regular
debate with no restraint nor censorship.” The organisation stated that “as
long as a judicial decision has not been issued and the press offence is
under investigation, banning a newspaper is a blatant breach of the right to
be presumed innocent.”
RSF voiced its concern over “the continuation of the harassment aimed at the
moderate press in Iran by a judiciary controlled by the Conservatives” and
urged President Khatami to “ensure that freedom of speech is protected and
guaranteed in compliance with international law.”
The daily “Neshat” has been ordered to close because of an editorial calling
for the abolition of the death penalty and the “eye for an eye” Islamic
principle.
