(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the head of the magistracy, Ayatollah Shahroudi, RSF protested the suspension of the weekly “Iran-é-Javan”. Robert Ménard, the organisation’s secretary-general, asked Shahroudi to refer the matter to the competent authorities so that “the suspension of this magazine and twenty-nine other reformist publications is annulled.” RSF recalled that nine journalists […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the head of the magistracy, Ayatollah Shahroudi, RSF protested the suspension of the weekly “Iran-é-Javan”. Robert Ménard, the organisation’s secretary-general, asked Shahroudi to refer the matter to the competent authorities so that “the suspension of this magazine and twenty-nine other reformist publications is annulled.” RSF recalled that nine journalists are currently imprisoned in the country, including Hassan Youssefi Echkevari, a journalist with “Adineh” who may get the death penalty, and Khalil Rostamkhani, a journalist with the “Daily News” and “Iran Echo”, who was released on bail on 15 November 2000 (see IFEX alerts of 14 November, 17 and 11 October, 7 and 1 September, 8 August, 29 June, 1 May, 28 and 25 April 2000).
According to information collected by RSF, on 28 November, an Iranian court ordered the closure of the weekly “Iran-é-Javan”, which is published by the official news agency IRNA. The court accuses the magazine, which is very popular with Iranian youth, of publishing “false news likely to disturb public opinion and articles which pose a threat to public morals”. Moreover, that same day, the Ministry of Culture authorised the launch of seventeen new publications.
