In a 24 October 2000 letter to Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei (below), IPI condemned the “temporary” bans on three weekly newspapers, increasing the total of recently banned publications in Iran to more than twenty. According to IPI’s sources, the weeklies “Sobh-e Omid” (Morning of Hope), “Mihan” (Homeland) and “Sepideh-e Zendegi” (Dawn of Life) were banned by the Tehran Justice Department for “press offences”.
The latest crackdown on Iran’s press started in late April 2000 after Ayatollah Khamenei accused the reformist press of being “bases of the enemy.” He later ordered the Iranian parliament to kill debate on changing Iran’s draconian press law, citing “dangers” to religion. The vast majority of newspapers closed since April received “temporary” bans, but have yet to reopen.
A number of journalists have been jailed on various charges and many others have been released on harsh bail conditions after interrogations pending trial. According to IPI’s sources, on 23 October, Tehran’s justice department chief said that he had begun legal moves to ban a number of other newspapers. He said they had not had the permission to move from weekly to daily publication. These include two major reformist newspapers.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to Iran’s spiritual leader:
– expressing the belief that these judicial and political attacks on journalists and media outlets are gross violations of everyone’s right to “seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers” as guaranteed by Article 19 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
– urging His Excellency to ensure that these measures are halted immediately, that the imprisoned journalists are released unconditionally and that the media outlets closed down are allowed to resume publication;
– further urging him to ensure that journalists in Iran are allowed to carry out their profession safely and without further harassment.
Appeals
APPEALS TO:
His Excellency Sayed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
c/o Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
622 3rd Ave, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Fax: +212 867 7086
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khameini
Spritual Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
(Please Forward)
c/o President Mohammed Khatami
Teheran, Iran
Fax: +98 21 64 66 415
Vienna, 24 October, 2000
Your Excellency
The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors and media executives, strongly condemns the “temporary” bans on three weekly newspapers, increasing the total of recently banned publications in Iran to more than twenty. According to our sources, the weeklies Sobh-e Omid (Morning of Hope), Mihan (Homeland) and Sepideh-e Zendegi (Dawn of Life) were banned by the Teheran Justice Department for “press offences”.
The latest crackdown on Iran’s press started in late April after your Excellency accused the reformist press of being “bases of the enemy”. You later ordered the Iranian parliament to kill debate on changing Iran’s draconian Press Law, citing “dangers” to religion. The vast majority of newspapers closed since April received “temporary” bans, but have yet to reopen.
A number of journalists have been jailed on various charges and many others have been released on harsh bail conditions after interrogations pending trial. According to our sources, Tehran’s justice department chief said yesterday that he had begun legal moves to ban a number of other newspapers. He said they had not had the permission to move from weekly to daily publication. These include two major reformist newspapers.
IPI regards these judicial and political attacks on journalists and media outlets as gross violations of everyone’s right to “seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers” as guaranteed by Article 19 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We urge Your Excellency to ensure that these measures are halted immediately, that the imprisoned journalists are released unconditionally and that the media outlets closed down are allowed to resume publication. We further urge you to ensure that journalists in Iran are allowed to carry out their profession safely and without further harassment.
We thank you for your attention.
Johann P. Fritz
Director
