The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on Tuesday condemned heavy jail terms against three Iranian journalists.
"These jail sentences are outrageous and are typical of Iran's mistreatment of press freedom and freedom of expression,” IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said, “We demand a revision of Kazemi's judgment and appeals that lift the jail and lashes sentences for Amiri and Marzban."
According to IFJ report, Marzieh Amiri, Masoud Kazemi and Kiumars Marzban were sentenced to jail by Iranian Revolutionary Court in August.
Amiri, who was working as reporter for Sharq newspaper, is sentenced to 148 lashes and 10 and a half years in prison. She was arrested in May 1 during a public gathering to celebrate the World Labor Day. She was charged with “assembly and collusion against the state, making propaganda against the state and disrupting public orders.”
Kazemi, another journalist who was editor in chief of Sedaye Parsi, has been sentenced to four and a half years in jail in early June on charges of "spreading misinformation" and "insulting the supreme leader and other Iranian officials.”
Marzban, satirist, writer and film producer, was sentenced to 23 years and nine months in jail on August 24. He was charges with: "communication and cooperation with the hostile government of the USA", "community and collusion against the state", "insulting the sacred", "insulting Imam Khomeini [first leader of the Islamic Republic after the revolution] and insulting the authorities.”
Reporters without borders on Monday said that “Iran is now holding more women in connection with their journalistic activities than any other country in the world.”
“Iran is the world’s biggest jailer of women journalists,” the report said.
