Media watchdog criticizes Iran's internet cafe crackdown

Dec 18, 2007, 11:27 GMT

Vienna - An international media watchdog on Tuesday condemned Iran's closure of internet cafes in Tehran and the continued detention of two cyber-dissidents.

Iran's authorities on December 16 closed down 24 internet cafes in the capital and arrested 23 people, eleven of them women for 'immoral behaviour,' Reporters Without Borders, a press freedom organization said. Tehran police had warned 170 internet cafes the day before that they were risking being closed.

'This is further evidence of an even more radical government line on free expression, especially when women are involved,' Reporters Without Borders said, adding that the grounds for the women's arrests were 'extremely vague.'

'They did nothing to threaten public morality. We firmly condemn this attack on freedoms, and we call for the release of all 23 detainees and the reopening of the internet cafes.'

Meanwhile, Maryam Hosseinkah, 32, and Jelveh Javaheri, 30, two female internet dissidents are still in custody since their arrests in mid-November and early December.

The two women were charged with publishing false information, disturbing public opinion and publicity against the Islamic Republic, the media watchdog said. Bail of up to 95,000 euros (137,000 dollars) was set for their release.

Iran is one of the countries with the strictest censorship and online filtering rules worldwide, requiring all websites offering news about Iran to register with the culture ministry, Reporters without Borders said.