“Only a free press can hurt them”

Calling for the release of journalists and netizens imprisoned in Iran, Reporters Without Borders and Iranian exile journalists staged a demonstration outside the Iranian embassy in Paris today to mark World Press Freedom Day. To chants of “Freedom for journalists in Iran now” and “Mahmoud, predator,” they tipped hundreds of paper pellets into the embassy’s courtyard as a symbol of the Reporters Without Borders campaign “Only a free press can hurt them.” Those taking part included Tunisian journalist Taoufik Ben Brik, who was released just four days ago after six months in a Tunisian jail, Reporters Without Borders vice-president Fabrice Drouelle, who is a journalist with France Inter, and Iranian photographer Reza Deghati. See slideshow: