Five more journalistes arrested

Reporters Without Borders expressed its "extreme concern" over the arrest this weekend by Iranian authorities of five more journalists. "We are very worried", Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard said, "not only because fourteen journalists have been arrested by Iranian authorities within the last month - a sad record in the history of this country - but also because the five new arrests bring to twenty-two the number of journalists presently imprisoned in Iran". "Our concern is all the more poignant," he noted, "given the extremely obscure circumstances of the hospitalisation and death of Zahra Kazemi and how they have contributed to creating a climate of fear for all journalistes working in Iran." The requests for clarification made by Reporters Without Borders to Iranian authorities have never received the slightest reply. "We welcome with satisfaction the declarations of President Khatami who expressed regret and concern after the death of Zahra Kazemi and ordered an investigation into the circumstances of her death. But that is not enough to make us forget the repression which Iranian journalists are faced with", Robert Ménard added. "This is why we ask that the Iranian regime authorize Reporters Without Borders to carry out an enquiry mission into the situation of the freedom of the press in Iran and into the circumstances of the death of Zahra Kazemi". Also, Reporters Without Borders reiterated its call on the Iranian authorities to grant the family's wish to repatriate the body to Canada, where she lived. On 11 and 12 July, Hossein Bastani, Vahid Ostad-Pour and Said Razavi Faghi, all three editors of the reformist daily Yass-e No, as well as Chahram Mohamadi-Nia, director of the weekly Vaght (The Moment), were summoned before Tehran state prosecutor, Said Mortazavi, before being imprisoned. Yass-e No had published, on 10 July, an article explaining that its editors had prepared a complete edition on the demonstrations of 9 July but had received orders from the Intelligence ministry not to print it. Mohamadi-Nia, who was accused of publishing "impure photo and article", was incarcerated as he was unable to pay a bail of 100 million rials (11,000 euros). As for Said Razavi Faghi, he was arrested at his home, whereas the independent journalist Arash Salehi was arrested in the streets of Tehran. Ensafali Hedayat, a journalist for Salam, was freed on 12 July, after spending 27 days in an individual cell at the central prison of Tabriz.