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Summary of the Iran Stories of Today's BroadcastBehnam NateghiTuesday, February 04, 2003
<b>Reactions to Nationalist Opposition Activist's Letter on Rights Violations</b>
* In reaction to the nationalist-religious coalition activist and veteran politician Ezatollah Sahabi's letter on abuses by judiciary interrogators, judiciary chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Shahroudi said instead of complaining to the heads of the three branches of government, Sahabi could file a complaint with a pertinent court. Sahabi, a member of the initial Revolutionary Council appointed by Ayatollah Khomeini, a former MP and the first head of the post-revolutionary planning and budget organization, was freed on bail six months ago after a year in jail on subversion charges. In his petition he said a team of judiciary interrogators tortured him psychologically by grueling daily sessions when he was in jail, and continues to pursue, interrogate and threaten him even six months after the end of his trial. He asked to be executed for whatever crime he is alleged of having committed in order to end the incessant harassment. Majles speaker Mehdi Karrubi asked the judiciary chief to appoint an unbiased panel to investigate Sahabi's charges of abuse and torture in jail. Publisher of several banned newspapers Hamid-Reza Jalai-pour said Sahabi's letter proves the existence and power of the shadow government. (Ali Sajjadi)
* Conservative MP Musa Qorbani said Sahabi's letter proves that Iran's jails are not hotels and do their job, which is making criminals suffer. He added that physical torture is banned in Iran, but psychological pressure on detainees are an approved form of punishment. Tehran-based lawyer and human rights activist Ahmad Bashiri tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that all forms of torture, including psychological, are banned in Iran, but complainants would be punished if they fail to prove allegations of torture in the hands of jail personnel. (Ali Sajjadi)
<b>Tehran Judiciary Chief Invites Judge to TV Debate on Newspaper Closings</b>
* Defending court orders that banned more than 90 newspapers and magazines during the past three years, cleric Abbasali Alizadeh, chief of the Tehran judiciary, invited head of the judges' disciplinary court Mohammad Al-e Es-haq to a TV debate. In a statement to press yesterday, Al-e Es-haq had called the closing of newspapers illegal, and said judges who issued those orders could be prosecuted. (Ali Sajjadi)
<b>EU's Chris Patten Asks Iran's Help for Dealing Iraq War Refugees</b>
* The EU's external affairs commissioner Christopher Patten, in Tehran on a four day visit, asked Iran to allow Europeans passage out of Iraq, in case of a war. He said EU has also asked Iran to persuade Iraq to disarm. (Ali Sajjadi)
* Head of London Institute for European Studies Heather Grady tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that the EU believes in dialogue with Iran rather than isolating it. She adds that the US and EU believe in the need for reforms in Iran, but differ on methods. (Mahtab Farid)
* After a meeting with foreign minister Kharrzai, Patten said Iran and Europe agree on Iraq. He added that the two sides share common views on Iraq, campaign against terrorism and narcotics smuggling in Afghanistan, yet they have different views on respect for human rights and the Middle East. Patten also met with Majles speaker Mehdi Karrubi and is scheduled to meet President Khatami today. (Baktash Khamsehpour)
<b>Police Padlock Azad University's Association of Students' Councils</b>
* Police padlocked the building rented by the Azad Islamic University's association of student councils. (Ali Sajjadi)
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كريس پاتن، كميسر روابط خارجي اتحاديه اروپا روز گذشته با كمال خرازي وزير امور خارجه و سپس آيت الله هاشمي شاهرودي رئيس قوه قضائيه جمهوري اسلامي ديدار و گفتگو كرد. مقامات اتحاديه اروپا بارها از اجراي حكم سنگسار در ايران انتقاد كرده اند. آيت الله شاهرودي در اين ديدار به دفاع از حكم سنگسار پرداخت و آن را حافظ كانون خانواده دانست. وي افزود: اجراي حكم در اختيار حاكم شرع است و در حال حاضر جمهوري اسلامي بدنبال تعيين مجازات جايگزين اين نوع جرايم است. وي اتهام اتحاديه اروپا و سازمان هاي حقوق بشر مبني بر وجود تبعيض در قوانين ايران عليه زنان را رد كرد. كميسر روابط خارجي اتحاديه اروپا گفت: اتحاديه اروپا با كشور هايي كه حقوق بشر را به طور كامل رعايت كنند و با همسايگان خود روابط خوبي دارند، روابط تجاري برقرار مي كند.
