[huridocs-tech] Iran: Web writers purge underway, Human Rights Watch says

Arrests Designed to Silence NGO Activists

(New York, November 9, 2004) ­ The Iranian government is moving to silence
Internet and Web-log communications, the last remaining outlet for freedom
of expression in the country, Human Rights Watch said today. Many of
Iran's most high-profile civil society activists rely on the internet to
get their message out. Human Rights Watch said that the Iranian
authorities are arresting these activists and bloggers in order to cripple
the country's growing network of independent nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs).

"The internet has been a gateway for outreach and information sharing with
the Iranian public," said Joe Stork, Washington director of Human Right
Watch's Middle East and North Africa Division. "With so many NGO activists
arrested or under surveillance, the remaining members of civil society
fear for their safety."

Human Rights Watch said that the arrests, which began on September 7,
point to a disturbing development in which the government is attacking
mid-level activists in the NGO community for the first time. In case of
the Internet-related arrests, the authorities are detaining contributing
journalists and technicians rather than higher-profile political leaders
under whose names these web sites operate.

  "We're talking about rank and file activists working on social and
cultural issues," said Stork. "Their basic freedoms are being sacrificed
as conservative leaders try to purge critics from society."

Human Rights Watch said that to date none of the detainees have been
charged with any crime. Judicial authorities have given differing reasons
for these arrests. On October 12, 2004, Jamal Karimi Rad, the judiciary's
spokesman, said that the detainees were accused of "propaganda against the
regime, endangering national security, inciting public unrest, and
insulting sacred belief." The head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Shahrudi,
in an interview with state-run television on October 27, 2004 stated that
"these people will be tried in connection with moral crimes."

Nemat Ahmadi, defense counsel for some of the detainees, has been
repeatedly barred from meeting his clients and has stated that they are
being kept in solitary confinement.

"The only criminal behavior here appears to be that of Iran's judiciary
officials," Stork said. "They seem to be ready to defy the country's own
laws as well as its international human rights obligations in solidifying
their hold on power."

Human Rights Watch called on the Iranian authorities to end their
harassment and intimidation of peaceful critics, and free the arrested
activists immediately and unconditionally.

Background:

Internet writers and civil society activists who have been arrested over
the past two months include:

• Mahbubeh Abasgholizadeh, the editor of Farzaneh, women's rights and
   NGO activist, arrested at her home on November 2,
• Fereshteh Ghazi of the daily Etemad and on-line journalist, arrested in
   her office on October 28,
• Reza Mir Ebrahimi, former editor of foreign affairs of daily Etemad,
   arrested on October 27,
• Javad Gholam Tamayomi of the daily Mardomsalari, arrested on October
   18,
• Omid Memarian, NGO activist and on-line journalist, arrested in his
   office on October 10,
• Hanif Mazroi, former journalist, arrested on September 8,
• Amir Mojiri, on-line journalist, arrested on September 8, and
• Shahram Rafihzadeh, cultural editor of daily Etemad, arrested on
   September 7, 2004.

In addition, a number of prominent civil society activists, including Azam
Taleghani, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, Imad-din Baghi, and Mohammad
Maleki have been banned from leaving the country.


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