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Media activists, journalists issue protest statement regarding increased censorship in Iran

Iran Materials 8 June 2013 13:25 (UTC +04:00)
Iran's media activists and journalists have issued a protest statement regarding the increased censorship in online media.
Media activists, journalists issue protest statement regarding increased censorship in Iran

Azerbaijan, Baku, June 8 /Trend S.Isayev, T. Jafarov/

Iran's media activists and journalists have issued a protest statement regarding the increased censorship in online media, Mehr news agency reported.

The statement, which was issued against the censorship of the Cyber Filtration Committee, was signed by some 100 people working in the media in Iran.

The statement says the media censorship in Iran has increased in the last year, and more filtering is being applied to various online news outlets, thus limiting the work of the press.

"During last month, a lot of filtering has been applied to online news agencies and news sites in Iran. In the last year the news agencies have been receiving calls urging them to delete particular news stories from their sites, otherwise they would be filtered," the statement said.

Another thing mentioned in the statement is that such threats made to the Iranian online news websites - are made without proper investigation, court's involvement or laws.

Earlier in June, an order was delivered to the Mehr News Agency by the Committee Charged with Determining Offensive Content. The order claimed that an interview published on the Mehr website violated the press law.

Mehr news agency published an interview with managing director of SARATNEWS website.

Managing Director of Mehr News, Reza Moqadasi, rejected the demand, saying that the official news agencies in Iran are part of the press law and are not included in the Internet Crime Law, and that this matter must be handled through the courts.

As a result, heavy pressure was applied on Mehr News, and website's internet provider ultimately was forced to cave in following the pressures to quickly jam Mehr website's lines.

Mehr later reported that the problem was solved, following intervention by Iran's Prosecutor General Mohsen Azaha'i.

Reuters reported in May that Iranians are struggling with slower Internet speeds and limited access ahead of the presidential election.

Experts and web users say they believe the Internet obstacles are related to the June 14 presidential vote, the first since 2009 polls in which accusations of fraud - denied by the government - kindled months of protests organised in part via social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Iranian officials denied any connection between the Internet disruptions and the upcoming vote.

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