Middle East News

Iran's main opposition daily newspaper banned (Roundup)

Aug 17, 2009, 13:06 GMT

Tehran - The Tehran prosecutor's office has temporarily banned the country's main opposition newspaper Etemad Melli, the daily's website reported Monday. The paper, which belongs to the reformist Etemad Melli party led by the cleric Mehdi Karroubi, was not published Monday. Karroubi has several times accused the establishment of torture and even sexual abuse of prisoners jailed for their protests against alleged fraud in the June 12 election which led to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad winning a second term. Karroubi was a candidate challenging Ahmadinejad in the election. Eyewitnesses said dozens of opposition supporters gathered on Monday afternoon in front of the daily's building in Tehran protesting against the closure. Police were called in after the protestors started shouting slogans against Ahmadinejad such as 'Death to the dictator,' and dispersed the crowd, the witnesses added. Several conservative officials have asked for prosecution of Karroubi due to his rape allegations. The hardline Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, deputy head of the influential clergy body the Experts Assembly, was quoted by the daily Kayhan as saying that according to Islamic rulings, anybody making sexual accusations but not able to prove them should be lashed 80 times. Karroubi himself however seems not to be intimidated by the threats and proclaimed that he will disclose all abuses in the Tehran prisons against post-vote detainees.

Middle East News

Iran's main opposition daily newspaper banned (Roundup)

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