| Submit your comments on this article |
| Axis of Evil |
| Iran orders arrest of reformist journalist |
| 2002-08-05 |
| The judiciary has ordered the arrest of reformist journalist Massoud Behnud, who traveled abroad after being sentenced to 19 months in jail for "actions against the security of the state", the governmental "Iran" newspaper reported Monday. Behnud, 52, left Iran legally in May after he was freed on bail, and is now in Canada. He will be arrested if he returns to Iran, the paper said, adding that the appeals court has upheld his prison term. Perhaps it would be a good idea to remain in Calgary or Winnepeg or wherever he is... He was jailed from August 2000 until February 2001 during a massive crackdown on the press and journalists. Probably didn't like it that time, either... Behnud, also a historian, had questioned sensitive issues of the Islamic republic, including the Islamic dress code that forces women to cover their hair and bodies in the presence of men. In December 2000, he appeared in court on charges of "action against the security of the state", "cooperation with foreign medias" and "insult to supreme leader" Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. We told him not to call the Ayatollah ugly, but he just wouldn't listen... He was also accused of "consuming alcohol" and "keeping instruments for smoking opium", the conservative press reported then. Between the opium and the gin, no one could understand him, anyway... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |