RSF: An editor banned from working for two years, a daily suspended and nine journalists summoned

Reporters Without Borders condemned government hounding of the press after an independent journalist was given a six-month suspended sentence, a daily newspaper was suspended and nine journalists summoned.

A high court in Tehran on 1st March upheld a suspended jail term imposed in March 2004 against Mohammad Hassan Alipour, editor of the daily Aban, along with a two-year ban from working. He could end up serving the sentence since he is being questioned in a new case.

The daily Nedai Azarabadegan was suspended for two months by a court in East Azerbaijan Province in north-east Iran while nine journalists in Iranian Kurdistan were summoned to appear before the courts.

"On the eve of the 61st session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, Iran has yet again distinguished itself as one of the most repressive countries in terms of press freedom. The summonses and suspended prison terms act like a sword of Damocles over the heads of journalists who fail to censor themselves.


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