A letter signed by 40 deputies denounces censorship and the closure of newspapers critical of the president, while journalists face charges of corruption and collusion to overthrow the government.

Teheran (AsiaNews) – Forty lawmakers have written a letter to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad criticizing him for filtering Iranian News Agencies and calling on him to put an end to the curtailment of free speech in Iran.

 

In the document carried by the on line newspaper Rooz, the parliamentarians refer in particular to the recent ban of Ham-Mihan daily and the filtering of Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA).

 

“Unfortunately, - states the letter - in an administration that promised tolerance, independent publications and those that criticize the government’s performance are either banned or suppressed. Every day, officials and advisors in your administration label and threaten opponents for being ‘corrupt’ or taking part in a ‘coup’ against the government”. The deputies were referring to remarks made by the administration’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, in which he accused critical journalists of organizing a “crawling coup” through their activities.

 

In a recent Majlis session, one deputy criticized the leadership of the Majlis about intensification in the filtering of deputies’ computers. In his remarks, Deputy Heshmatollah Falahtpisheh said, “the filtering has increased so much that deputies are unable to view several websites on the Internet”. Insisting that “deputies must have access to information,” Falahtpisheh promised that if the filters are removed deputies will be careful in observing “ethical matters” and preserving national interests.

 

• IRAN
• PARLIAMENT
• PRESS
• FREEDOM
• CENSORSHIP
• INTERNET
• AHMADINEJAD