Iranian reformist publisher is interrogated in court
June 23, Teheran (dpa) - An Iranian reformist publisher was interrogated
Wednesday for several hours by a Teheran court over having expressed doubts
regarding Islamic values, informed sources said.
Saaid Hajarian, the publisher of the liberal daily newspaper Emruz,
was interrogated by a court over ``having expressed doubts'' over Islamic
values in reply to a reader's question, the sources said.
Hajarian is a close aide to President Mohammad Khatami and member of
the Teheran City Council. His daily is seen as following Khatami's reform
course
The interrogation and Hajarian's reply took about five hours and the
next session will be held in due time, the sources said.
Almost all of the pro-Khatami dailies are involved in disputes with
the judiciary which, together with the Majlis, remains a stronghold of
the conservative opposition and consists mainly of traditional clergy.
A plan has been submitted to the Majlis (parliament), which is still
controlled by the conservatives, for amending the current press law.
Moderate Culture Minister, Ayatollah Mohajerani, warned Monday against
the amendment which he said would lead to limitation of press freedom in
Iran .
``Press freedom is part of the people's right and its limitation will
have grave consequences as the tendency of the plan is limitation of press
freedom which might even endanger the future of the press,'' Mohajerani,
a key aide to President Mohammad Khatami, told reporters in Teheran.
He added that the new law ``will definitely not benefit journalists''
and called on MPs not to approve the amendment plan.
Iran 's Press Syndicate protested earlier this month in a letter to
the Majlis against the plan to change the existing press laws.
Links
