TEHRAN: Iran’s judiciary on Sunday sentenced a journalist to two years in jail for “spreading misinformation” and “insulting” the country’s supreme leader and authorities, his lawyer told state media.
Masoud Kazemi was also banned from “media activities” for two years, the lawyer Ali Mojtahedzadeh said, quoted by the official news agency IRNA.
The report did not specify the cause of the charges against Kazemi.
State-run Iran newspaper reported on May 23 that he had been arrested the day before.
The journalist was a reporter for the reformist daily Shargh and also the editor-in-chief of Seda-ye Parsi monthly magazine, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.
Before the trial, the court set bail at 10 billion rials (about $74,000 at the current open market rate) in the case over charges of “conspiring against national security,” the lawyer said.
“Fortunately this charge was dropped during the trial... (and) considering the current charges in the indictment we hope the bail is reduced and he can be freed,” Mojtahedzadeh added.
Another journalist, Pouyan Khoshhal, was arrested in October over “insults” against Imam Hussein, one of the most revered religious figures in the Shiite Islamic republic.
And in August journalist Mir Mohammad Mir-Esmaili was sentenced to 10 years in prison over insulting Imam Reza.
Iran sentences journalist to two years in jail
Iran sentences journalist to two years in jail
Iranian FM calls Qatari counterpart ahead of nuclear talks
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani reiterated Qatar’s support for all efforts to reduce tensions
- Regional powers have pushed for talks scheduled for Friday in Oman between Iran, US
LONDON: Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani received a telephone call from his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on Wednesday.
The call focused on deescalation efforts in the region, according to Qatar News Agency.
Sheikh Mohammed reiterated Qatar’s support for all efforts to reduce tensions and pursue peaceful solutions that enhance regional security and stability, QNA reported.
He highlighted the importance of collective action to protect the region’s people from the consequences of escalation and to pursue diplomatic solutions.
Regional powers have pushed for talks, scheduled for Friday in Oman, between Iran and the US to reach an agreement regarding Tehran’s nuclear program and prevent another escalation in the region.
Qatar and Iran share a maritime border in the Arab Gulf and the world’s largest natural gas field, the South Pars/North Dome Field.
