Iran: Four Azeri journalists in detention without charge, female blogger sentenced to prison pending appeal

IFEX ::

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders is worried about a rise in tension between the Iranian authorities and journalists who belong to Iran's Azeri community. Four Azeri journalists have been held without charge for more than 10 days, possibly in Tehran's Evin prison, while an Azeri journalist and blogger was sentenced to six months in prison on 20 September 2008 for her online articles.

"These Azeris join the list of ethnic minority journalists held in Iran's prisons for criticising social inequality and demanding equal treatment within Iranian society," Reporters Without Borders said. "It is disturbing that 11 of the 12 journalists currently detained in Iran are from the Kurdish, Azeri or Arab minorities. The Iranian authorities must put a stop to this all-out repression, which is holding back the development of community media."