BBC: The conservative-controlled parliament in Iran has barred an investigative journalist from its premises after revealing MPs’ huge pay and bonuses. Iran’s independent press association accused the chamber of censorship. The journalist, Massih Ali-Nejad, works for an Iranian news agency, ILNA, and a reformist paper, Hambastaghi.
Iran bans parliamentary reporter
Canada demands Iran return photojournalist’s remains
AFP: Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew on Tuesday telephoned his Iranian counterpart to demand the return of the remains of photojournalist Zahra Kazemi who died in Iranian custody. “This morning, I phoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran,” Pettigrew told the House of Commons, a day after lambasting Tehran over its denial that the 54-year-old dual Iranian-Canadian citizen had been tortured and murdered.
Iranians turn out in force to decry Khatamis Paris visit
Iran Focus: Paris, Apr. 05 Thousands of Iranians marched in downtown Paris today to protest the visit to France by the Iranian regimes President Mohammad Khatami. The demonstration was organised by the French anti-racist movement, MRAP, and the Movement for Peace, two of the largest non-governmental organisations in France.
Iranians turn out in force to decry Khatamis Paris visit
Iran Focus: Paris, Apr. 05 Thousands of Iranians marched in downtown Paris today to protest the visit to France by the Iranian regimes President Mohammad Khatami. The demonstration was organised by the French anti-racist movement, MRAP, and the Movement for Peace, two of the largest non-governmental organisations in France.
Iran insists it will retain nuclear programme
Reuters: Iran will not abandon nuclear activities, despite its negotiations with the EU about ensuring its nuclear programme cannot be used for weapons, President Mohammad Khatami has said in an interview. But it will continue for now to discuss the issue with Europe and the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, Khatami told Tuesday’s edition of French newspaper Le Figaro.
Grits weak on Kazemi case: Harper
The Edmonton Sun: The federal government was complicit in a systematic coverup of the “barbaric” treatment of Zahra Kazemi, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper suggested yesterday. Blasting the “weak” Liberal reaction to gruesome details Canadian officials had received months ago, Harper accused the government of being part of Iran’s whitewashing of the case.
Tories blast PM for ‘spineless’ response to Iran
CBC News: Conservative Leader Stephen Harper accused the Liberal government of acting in a callous and spineless way for re-establishing relations with Iran, despite knowing the details about the deadly injuries suffered by Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi. Harper’s accusations come as the doctor who examined Kazemi made public for the first time last week the extent of the injuries she suffered while in Iranian custody.
New allegations prove Iran ‘wrong’ over murdered journalist: Canada
AFP: Canada on Monday said new allegations about the violent death of Iranian-Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi in detention in Tehran, disproved the Islamic Republic’s denials that she was murdered. Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew said that Canada had helped Iranian doctor Shahram Azam, who last week claimed Kazemi was tortured and raped, obtain asylum here to debunk Iranian government claims on the case.
Iran: Judiciary Should Admit Blogger Abuse
Human Rights Watch: The upcoming report by Iran’s powerful judiciary about the mistreatment and torture of bloggers and internet journalists in custody must begin a process of full accountability for serious human rights abuse, Human Rights Watch said today. In January 2004, the head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Mahmud Hashemi Shahrudi, ordered the formation of an internal investigating committee to probe bloggers’ claims of torture and ill-treatment.
Arabic news outlet accuses Iran of recruiting spies in Iraq
Iran Focus: London, Apr. 04 Irans hard-line leaders are setting up a secret government in Iraq, according to a prominent Arabic language news outlet. The Saudi-affiliated Elaph website wrote in its Friday issue, The Iranian Intelligence Ministry is creating a secret government in Iraq.
