More newspapers closed, more journalists detained

Three more newspapers – Farhang Ashti and Arman in Tehran and Tahlil Rooz in the southwestern city of Shiraz – were closed by the ministry of culture and Islamic orientation on 5 October, the same day that Reporters Without Borders learned that two other journalists have been held for months in the capital’s Evin prison. “The Iranian leaders publicly attack the media and accuse them of being used in an attempt to overthrow the state,” Reporters Without Borders said. “By denigrating independent media and branding them as enemies, the regime is able to systematically block their operations without giving a specific reason and without citing serious legal grounds.” The press freedom organisation added: “Iran continues to be at the head the countries that crack down most on press freedom. The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are in no danger of losing their status as Predators of Press Freedom.” The licences of the two Tehran-based newspapers were withdrawn by the Commission for Press Authorisation and Surveillance, the censorship arm of the ministry of culture and Islamic orientation, for “failure to respect the press law” although they had a generally moderate stance towards the government In recent weeks, Farhang Ashti had nonetheless dared to criticise the ultra-conservative daily Kayhan (which is controlled by the Supreme Leader), publishing the amounts received by pro-government newspapers, including Kayhan, in state aid. The managing editor of the daily Arman was told that his newspaper was to be closed before the meeting of the Commission for Press Authorisation and Surveillance at which the decision was officially taken. The reason given by the authorities was “publication of information not in accordance with the newspaper’s style.” No grounds were given for the closure of the Shiraz-based quality daily Tahlil Rooz, the only pro-reform newspaper in the province of Fars and, for the past three years, the most widely read one. Reporters Without Borders has meanwhile learned of the detention of two more journalists in Evin prison from relatives and from recently released prisoners. One is Mohsein Azmodeh, a journalist with the pro-government news agency Mehr, who was arrested at his home on 16 June for alleged “contact with counter-revolutionary groups.” His wife was arrested at the same time but has since been released. The other is Fayaz Zahed, a member of the staff of the suspended daily Etemad Meli, who was arrested on the street by men in plain clothes. The authorities have not said what either of these two journalists is charged with. Nemat Ahamadi, a lawyer who represents several detained journalists including Zahed, told Reporters Without Borders: “The journalists should have been arrested on the basis of articles in the press law. But nowadays they are being accused of ‘endangering national security by participating in meetings or demonstrations or by writing articles,’ an invention that does not exist in Iran’s laws.” Reporters Without Borders is concerned about the conditions in which journalists are being held in Iran. Many, such as Mohammad Ghochani and Issa Saharkhiz, are still in solitary confinement. The editor of Etemad Meli, Ghochani has been held since 18 June, despite his lawyer’s request for his release on bail. Saharkhiz, a pro-reform journalist who edited Aftab (Sun), a monthly closed in 2004, and Eghtesah, a newspaper closed in 2005, was arrested on 4 July. Pressure is still being put on him to make a confession.