DATE=11/27/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IRAN/SENTENCE L-O
NUMBER=2-256569
BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A court in Iran sentenced a leading reformist
to prison Saturday and ordered his newspaper closed.
Richard Engel reports from our Middle East Bureau that
the sentencing of Abdullah Nouri is considered a major
setback for moderates in Iran.
TEXT: Iran's official news agency reports that a
special clerical court in Tehran sentenced Mr. Nouri
to five years in prison and barred him from working in
the media. The court also imposed a three-thousand
dollar fine on Mr. Nouri.
The journalist was found guilty of insulting Iran's
religious government in articles published in a
newspaper he managed called Khordad.
The court also convicted Mr. Nouri of advocating
better ties with Iran's arch-enemies, Israel and the
United States.
The special court's decision cannot be appealed and
Mr. Nouri - a former interior minister and one of
Iran's most popular moderates - was taken to prison
after the verdict was handed down.
The sentence prevents Mr. Nouri from taking part in
February's key parliamentary elections. Many
reformers in Iran had hoped Mr. Nouri, once elected,
would be named the speaker of parliament.
Mr. Nouri became the editor of Khordad after the
nation's hard-line dominated parliament voted to
remove him as interior minister.
A spokesperson for Khordad said Saturday's verdict
also calls for the newspaper to be shut down.
Mr. Nouri is a staunch supporter of Iran's moderate
president, Mohammed Khatami, and his trial has been
seen as part of the power struggle between hard-liners
and reformists.
Hard-liners have taken a number of President Khatami's
closest allies to court. They have ordered the arrest
of many journalists and refused to prosecute
vigilantes who have attacked moderates. Three leading
reformist newspapers have been shut down during the
past year.(Signed)
NEB/RHE/DW/JP
27-Nov-1999 08:22 AM EDT (27-Nov-1999 1322 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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