Iran banned reformist newspaper Ebtekar on Saturday for spreading “lies.” The charge of spreading
lies generally means the Iranian authorities were not all that happy about the
paper’s reporting and its reformist political leaning.
“I received a note from media court which said a ban has been
imposed on the daily for spreading lies,” Mohammad Ali Vakili, managing
director of Ebtekar said in Tehran (ISNA, 27 April.)
Ebtekar’s closing makes it third reformist newspaper to be shut
down by authorities in recent months. In February, the
reformist daily "Aseman" was banned. "Bahar," another
reformist newspaper, was closed down in October.
Photo credit: Ebtekar’s front page. (RFE/RL)
5 comments:
I'm looking forward to a time in the future where Iran's heightened national security level is no longer at a point similar to that of the United States during the first half of the 1860's, where our President Lincoln found the need to close a number of newspapers and imprison political figures based on national security concerns.
It is hoped that with the success of improved relations with the West, Iran's national security footing can stand down to the point where these measures are no longer deemed necessary. It was a point former President Khatami aimed for but was so unnecessarily undermined by the Bush administration.
such a lack of honesty and integrity to compare a nation fighting a civil war with an oppressive and authoritarian theocratic despotism practicing censorship while at peace and for no purpose other than to keep the citizenry uninformed and cowed.
some apologists have, a bottom, no decency.
Don't you mean the regimes heightened security against the Iranian people. Nothing about the regime is similar to that of the United States period.
Iran never was free. But at least we see publications that are critical of the Goverment today. Look at Tabnak for example. Would such a publication have existed prior to the revolution. And there are hundreds just like it.
If we wish to be honest lets admit Iranians who have power will always try to suppress those who differ in opinion with them.
Anon 9:39 PM
Iran never was free but it is in far worse condition today under the rule of religious fanatics. What's the use of a publications like Tabnak when basic rights of Iranians have been taken away by religious maniacs? At least before the "revolution" for example women had rights,the economy was a thousand times better and there was religious freedom.The state was not perfect but secular and reformable because the Shah was put under pressure. After 35 years Iranians have to fight for those very rights that they took for granted before the disaster of 1979. All Iran has got to show for it is state instagated theft on a vast scale and real human rights abuses like rapes,torture and daily executions. And we make ourselves happy with publications written by pro-regime "reformist" shills.
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