(RSF/IFEX) – In a 26 July 1999 letter sent to the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, RSF expressed its concern that the Special Court of Clergy has found “Salam” newspaper director Mohammad Khoeinia guilty of publishing classified information, libel and defamation of character. His sentence will be announced in a few […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a 26 July 1999 letter sent to the president of the Islamic
Republic of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, RSF expressed its concern that the
Special Court of Clergy has found “Salam” newspaper director Mohammad
Khoeinia guilty of publishing classified information, libel and defamation
of character. His sentence will be announced in a few days. Stressing that
“Iran is going through a critical period when press freedom needs to be
protected,” RSF requested that “the charges against the Salam director be
dropped, the journalist be released and the newspaper’s ban be cancelled,
allowing the daily to resume publication.”
**Updates IFEX alert of 8 July 1999**
On 7 July, this leading moderate newspaper was suspended after a complaint
from the intelligence ministry over the printing of a secret report on the
investigation into murders of intellectuals last year. Morad Veissi, a
“Salam” journalist, was arrested the same day. Since then, there has been no
information about his case. The suspension sparked six days of riots
throughout the country.
