Five websites closed down, two women's rights journalists charged
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Datum nieuwsfeit: 15-02-2008 |
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Bron: Reporters Without Borders |
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Reporters Without Borders
Iran 15 February 2008
Five websites closed down, two women's rights journalists charged
(JPEG) Photo AFP
Reporters Without Borders condemns yesterday's closure of five
websites and the charges of "violating national security" brought
yesterday against Jelveh Javaheri and Nahid Keshavarz, two journalists
who write for the women rights's websites WeChange and Zanestan.
"These charges are abusive," the press freedom organisation said.
"Javaheri and Keshavarz just do their job as journalists when they
write about the condition of women in Iran. This is Javaheri's second
arrest in two months while Keshavarz is constantly being summoned
before the Tehran revolutionary court. We call on the authorities to
free them at once and to stop bringing prosecutions against them."
Javaheri, 30, writes for WeChange. She was previously arrested on 1
December and charged with "disturbing public opinion," "publishing
false information" and "publicity against the Islamic Republic" for
writing articles demanding respect for the rights that women are
accorded under the Iranian constitution. She was released on bail a
month later.
Keshavarz, who writes for both WeChange and Zanestan, has been
summoned and questioned by the intelligence services several times in
the past. In April 2007, she has been detained for more than ten days
or having taken part to feminist's meetings. She was freed on bail.
Tehran prosecutor-general Saeed Mortazavi yesterday decided to ban the
conservative website Nosazi and four other sites for "poisoning the
electoral domain." Since 8 February, there has been a growing
controversy about the 14 March parliamentary elections, with young
mollah Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the late Supreme Guide,
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, condemning the Guardian Council's
decision to disqualify 70 per cent of the candidates. Nosazi had
criticised his position.
"Tension is increasing as regards the Internet in the runup to the
parliamentary elections," Reporters Without Borders said.
"Nonetheless, these five website criticised pro-reform views, not the
ruling party. Iran is one of the countries that cracks down hardest on
the Internet and the elections are just encouraging more violations of
free expression."
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