Tehran, Iran, Aug. 9
By Mehdi Sepahvand – Trend:
Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi has ruled out legal action against rude remarks by an Iranian newspaper as the paper has not been sued by any individual.
“If insult to common individuals comprises an act of crime… its pursuit is bound to some private plaintiff,” he told a press conference, ‘Iran’ newspaper reported Aug. 9.
The remarks came after the public expressed expectation from the judiciary system to take action against the far-right Ya-Lasarat, which last week objected to a motion picture festival that, according to the Islamic Republic norms, could be described as pococurante.
The newspaper’s criticism of the event had come in the form of a rude headline calling the men in that meeting “cuckolds” for bringing their wives with – viewed Islamically – careless clothing.
This was met with a feverish flurry of objection on social as well as state media, calling for action against the newspaper.
Initially it was announced by the Ministry of Culture that the newspaper had been banned, but the next morning its new edition appeared at newsstands, followed by remarks from the editor-in-chief refuting the ban.
The Tehran prosecutor, however, in his remarks went on to criticize the festival for having turned into “a fashion show”, adding, “We will take legal action against any event that violates Islamic values and propagates the Western lifestyle.”