Iran court releases reformist editor on bail
TEHRAN, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Iran's Press Court, which normally hears
cases to do with the media in front of a press jury, has released a reformist
newspaper editor on bail after 22 days in prison, newspapers said on
Thursday.
Kazem Shokri, an editor at the popular reformist Sobh-e Emrouz newspaper,
was released on 150 million rials ($5 million) bail, they said.
Shokri's arrest for an alleged insult to ``religious values'' outraged
leading figures among Iran's reformists who pointed out that Iran's press
law only holds editors-in-chief responsible for all published materials.
Iran's hardliners have recently stepped up their campaign against liberal
publications which have flourished under reformist President Mohammad
Khatami.
A number of newspapers have been closed by the conservative-run courts.
Some of their editors remain in jail awaiting trial.
($1-3,000 rials at the official rate)
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