Summary of Iran Stories in Today's BroadcastsBehnam NateghiThursday, August 07, 2003
<b>Tehran Prosecutor Releases Jailed Student Activists</b>
• Tehran prosecutor Said Mortazavi released nine members of the central and general councils of the association of Islamic student councils (Daftar Tahkim Vahdat), who were arrested after last June's 10-day pro-democracy protests. Meysam Shirzad, son of MP Mehdi Shirzad was among the nine who were released despite announcement last week of their imminent trials. Dafter's central council member Mohammad-Reza Amerinasab, who was among the released, was arrested last month after in a press conference he criticized the violent suppression of the demonstrators by the plainclothes security forces. Daftar's spokesman and cultural secretary Abdollah Momeni, also released, was in jail since plainclothes police arrested him for the second time, a few days after he was picked up in the street and held for a few days. Also among the nine is Peyman Aref, based on whose alleged “confessions” the judiciary last June arrested Mohsen Sazegara, publisher and vocal critic the Supreme Leader. None of the nine released today had been arrested during actual demonstrations. (Alireza Taheri)
• The student activists' release came after the Supreme Leader's representatives in universities recommended a more lenient treatment for the arrested students. Tehran judiciary said in a statement that the Supreme Leader gave them amnesty, but added in the statement that the students had not been formally arraigned by a judge. It added that the released students had disowned “the rioters and seditionists,” and had reaffirmed their loyalty to the “holy” Islamic regime. (Mehdi Khalaji)
<b>Government Denies News of Khatami's Letter to Collin Powell</b>
• Foreign minisry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi denied the report yesterday in a Saudi newspaper that President Khatami had offered to resume secret official talks with the US in a letter to US Secretary of State Collin Powell. He said Iran's disrupted three-way Geneva talks with the US and UN representatives were initiated by the UN, and were the only direct contacts between Iran and the US. (Mehdi Khalaji)
<b>Khomeini's Grandson Calls for Referendum on Form of Government</b>
• Ayatollah <b>Hossein Khomeini</b>, 45, grandson of the Islamic regime founder Ayatollah Khomeini, tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that the only way out of the current political impasse is to hold a national referendum on the regime itself. If the majority decided that the regime has any legitimacy, he adds, then the Islamic government can feel relief, and all its domestic and foreign problems would be resolved, and the officials can continue to live honorably. He says the young generation, who finds itself “in this blind alley today,” did not have voting power 25 years ago when the Islamic Republic was established. He refuses to endorse a form of government, despite the reporter's repeated questions. “All we want now is a referendum.” (Mehdi Khalaji)
<b>Writers' Association Calls for Release of Three</b>
• In a statement issued today, the Iranian Writers Association called for he release of jailed lawyer Nasser Zafsahan and two writers Alireza Jabari and Esmail Jamshidi. IWA's spokesperson, poet <b>Simin Behbahani</b> tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that the three have committed no crime. She also criticizes the government's plan to make grants to writes and poets through a yet to be established fund. “I don't think writers and artists should become accustomed to receiving hand-outs,” she says. “All we want is the right to freely publish our material.” (Mahmonir Rahimi)
<b>New Council to Investigate Press Violations</b>
• Deputy culture minister for press Mohammad Sahafi said in a press conference today that in order to provide job security for journalists, a new council made of representatives of the press and other “experts” will investigate press violations. Veteran newsman <b>Ahmad Ahrar</b> tells <b>Radio Farda</b> that the best service any government can provide for the press is not to intervene. Nothing can be resolved by creating more councils and boards, especially when various government bodies contradict each other, and the judiciary threatens to prosecute deputy culture minister over items in the newspapers. (Mahmonir Rahimi)
<b>Majority of Reporters Shun Reformists-Related Trade Union</b>
• On the occasion of the Reporter Day on August 8, the trade union of journalists invited members to a gathering and “sit-in” at the union's offices to protest against the suppression of the press. The ceremonies will include honoring Canadian-Iranian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi, who died under interrogation last month after a 15-day coma. IRNA reporter Mahmoud Saremi, who was killed on August 8, 1997, in Afghanistan, will also be honored. However, the majority of Iranian journalists do not support the reformists-affiliated trade union<b>Said Haqi</b> editor of the banned independent daily <i>Melat</i> tells <b>Radio Farda</b>. The regime's reformist faction, he adds, plans to exploit the Reporter Day to regain its lost credibility, but of 5,000 members only 500 attended, he adds. (Jamshid Zand)
<b>IMF Ranks Iran First Among 91 Nations in Brain Drain</b>
• Iran ranked first among 91 developing nations in an IMF study on brain drain. Annually, 150,000 to 180,000 educated Iranians leave the country. (Farin Asemi)
<b>Russia Signs to Build Six Oil Tankers for Iran</b>
• Iranian Oil Tanker Company will provide $240 million for a deal with an Iranian and a Russian company to build six oil tankers. Green Oak, a multi-national concern will provide the remaining half. The tankers will increase Iran's oil transfer business from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan from the current 100,00 barrels per day to 350,000 bpd. (Mani Kasravi, Moscow)
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شهران طبري (راديوفردا): با دستور سعيد مرتضوي، دادستان کل تهران، شامگاه گذشته 9 تن از فعالان جنبش هاي دانشجويي در پايتخت ايران از زندان آزاد شدند. اين عده در حالي آزادي خود را بازيافتند که نمايندگان آيت الله خامنه اي رهبر جمهوري اسلامي در در دانشگاه ها ديروز از او خواسته بود که زمينه را براي عفو دانشحويان زنداني هموار سازد.
عليرضا طاهري (راديو فردا) : عبدالله مومني، پيمان عارف محمدرضا عامري نسب، ميثم رشيدي و نيز مهدي شيرزاد، فرزند نماينده شيراز در مجلس شوراي اسلامي از جمله 9 تن آزاد شده اند. اين عده همگي از رهبران و اعضاي شاخص دفتر تحکيم وحدت، بزرگترين تشکل رسمي دانشجويي، در جمهوري اسلامي است. 9 تن يادشده در حالي آزادي خود را بازيافتند که بنابر آمار رسمي حکومت جمهوري اسلامي، همچنين 4 هزار تن ديگر به اتهام ناآرامي هاي ده روزه در خرداد ماه گذشته، در زندان به سر مي برند.
سعيد مرتضوي دادستان کل تهران پيشتر وعده داده بود که محاکمه دانشجويان زنداني اين هفته آغاز خواهد شد اما با رهايي 9 تن ياد شده از زندان معلوم نيست که آيا به اين وعده وفا خواهد شد يا نه.
از ميان نه تني که فرمان آزادي شان ديروز صادر شد محمدرضا عامري نسب به طور مشخص پس از شرکت در يک کنفرانس خبري در تهران بازداشت شد. آقاي عامري نسب در اين کنفرانس خبري از سرکوبي دانشجويان هوادار آزادي و مردمسالاري قويا" انتقاد کرده بود. عبدالله مومني، يکي ديگر از 9 تن ياد شده نيز پس از يک بار ربوده شدن در برابر دانشگاه و آزادي موقت، براي بار دوم نيز به دام نيروهاي موسوم به لباس شخصي افتاد و سر از زندان درآورد. از اين عده هيچ کدام در گير و دار ناآرامي هاي ده روزه در تهران بازداشت نشدند و در واقع بازداشت آنان با ناآرامي ها ارتباطي مستقيم ندارد.
در ميان آزاد شدگان به نام پيمان عارف نيز بر مي خوريم. مسوولان قضايي از قول اين دانشجوي بازداشتي گفته بودند که فاطمه حقيقت جو، نماينده اصلاحگراي مجلس، در ناآرامي هاي تهران در خردادماه گذشته دست داشته است. خانم حقيقت جو که خود زماني از رهبران جنبش دانشجويي ايران بوده است، بي درنگ گفته هاي پيمان عارف را بي پايه خواند و مدعي شد يا آقاي پيمان عارف دروغ مي گويد يا وي را به چنين اعترافاتي واداشته اند.
آقاي عارف به گفته مسوولان امنيتي درمورد نقش مهندس محمد محسن سازگارا يکي از چهره هاي ناراضي در ايران در ناآرامي هاي خردادماه گذشته نيز اعترافاتي داشته است. آقاي سازگارا نيز گفته هاي آقاي عارف را يکسره بي پايه خوانده است.
به گفته ناظران، يکي از پايه هاي اصلي بازداشت آقاي سازگارا همين اعترافات پيمان عارف است. اکنون روشن نيست که آيا با آزاد شدن آقاي عارف، آقاي سازگرا نيز آزاد خواهد شد يا نه. در اين گير و دار، و همچنان که 4 هزار جوان دانشجوي معترض ايراني در بندند، دکتر حجت الاسلام محسن کديور، روحاني نو انديش و ناراضي از حکومت جمهوري اسلامي براي آزادي اين عده، يک مجلس براي دعاي توسل بر پا کرده است. با دستور سعيد مرتضوي، دادستان کل تهران، شامگاه گذشته 9 تن از اعضاي شاخص دفتر تحكيم وحدت و فعالان انجمن هاي اسلامي دانشجويي در پايتخت ايران از زندان آزاد شدند. عبدالله مومني، پيمان عارف، محمدرضا عامري نسب، ميثم رشيدي و نيز مهدي شيرزاد، فرزند نماينده شيراز در مجلس شوراي اسلامي از جمله 9 تن آزاد شده اند. اين عده همگي از رهبران و اعضاي شاخص دفتر تحکيم وحدت، بزرگترين تشکل انجمن هاي اسلامي دانشجويان در ايران است. 9 تن يادشده در حالي آزادي خود را بازيافتند که بنابر آمار رسمي حکومت جمهوري اسلامي، همچنين 4 هزار تن ديگر به اتهام ناآرامي هاي ده روزه در خرداد ماه گذشته، در زندان به سر مي برند.
