posted February 15, 2001 09:29               

Dalvand stands accused of "defamation, publishing deceitful articles which notably insult the revolutionary and judicial institutions" of the regime, the agency reported.

Another pro-reform journalist, Mohammad-Bagher Vali-Beik was detained on
Sunday in Tehran.

The former IRNA journalist was arrested as the head of a publishing group which for three years has been behind most of the reformist daily newspapers in the region whose circulation has been suspended.

Conservative dominated legal authorities have closed down around 25 publications and arrested some 15 journalists since April.

posted February 15, 2001 09:31               

Reporters sans frontières
Paris-France

Iran is now the country with the most journalists in prison in the world.

February 14, 2001

On 12 February, Mohammad-Bagher Vali-Beik, general manager of Jamée-é-Rouz, a major publishing company that for three years published most reformist newspapers now banned, was arrested and detained in Tehran. On 14 February, Abbas Dalvand, head of the Lorestan magazine was arrested in Khorammabad (south-western Iran). Abbas Dalvand is accused of "defamation", "publishing deceitful articles" and "insult against the revolutionary and judicial institutions" of the state.

These two new cases bring the number of journalists in jail in Iran up to 13. Iran and Burma are now the two countries in the world with the most journalists in jail.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) points out that the jailing of these 13 journalists contravenes Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Iran has ratified.

The organisation noted that in a report published in January 2000, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, urges all governments to ensure that press offences are no longer punishable by imprisonment, except in cases involving racist or discriminatory comments or calls to violence.

The Special Rapporteur added that in all cases, imprisonment as punishment
for the peaceful expression of an opinion constitutes a serious violation
of human rights.

Reporters Without Borders calls for the release of these 13 journalists and asks the Iranian authorities to repeal the law approved on 17 April 2000 which strengthened penalties against the media.