An Iranian court in Tehran has ruled against four cyber-feminist reporters for writing material deemed contrary to the government. Reporters Without Borders is outraged since the government is giving all of the women six-month prison sentences on charges of "publishing information against the government" under article 500 of the Islamic criminal code.
The four reporters; Parvin Ardalan, Jelveh Javaheri, Maryam Hosseinkhah and Nahid Keshavarz were prosecuted for writing articles for two online newspapers that defend women's rights in Iran. All four reporters are still free since they appealed their cases, but were previously arrested.
Reporters Without Borders wants the Tehran government to immediately drop the proceedings against them.
"These four journalists post their articles online because their magazines have been censored," Reporters Without Borders said in a statement. "They are the victims of persecution by the authorities, who repeatedly summon to them to court for interrogation about their activities. They are the victims of discriminatory measures."
Article 500 of the Islamic Republic's criminal code states that anyone who undertakes any form of propaganda against the state will be sentenced to between three months and one year in prison.
Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel peace prize winning lawyer who is defending the women for their appeal, worries that the situation will get worse.
"If Parliament ratifies the new law increasing sentences for crimes against society's moral security, bloggers could get prison sentences," said Ebadi.
Charges and arrests against the four reporters include: attacking state security, publishing false information, participating in street demonstrations for women's constitutional rights and one reported was even arrested (without charge) for covering the third anniversary of the biggest feminist protest in the capital of Tehran in June of 2005.
In the latest Reporters Without Borders world press freedom index, Iran is ranked 166th place out of 169 countries.
The four reporters; Parvin Ardalan, Jelveh Javaheri, Maryam Hosseinkhah and Nahid Keshavarz were prosecuted for writing articles for two online newspapers that defend women's rights in Iran. All four reporters are still free since they appealed their cases, but were previously arrested.
Reporters Without Borders wants the Tehran government to immediately drop the proceedings against them.
"These four journalists post their articles online because their magazines have been censored," Reporters Without Borders said in a statement. "They are the victims of persecution by the authorities, who repeatedly summon to them to court for interrogation about their activities. They are the victims of discriminatory measures."
Article 500 of the Islamic Republic's criminal code states that anyone who undertakes any form of propaganda against the state will be sentenced to between three months and one year in prison.
Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel peace prize winning lawyer who is defending the women for their appeal, worries that the situation will get worse.
"If Parliament ratifies the new law increasing sentences for crimes against society's moral security, bloggers could get prison sentences," said Ebadi.
Charges and arrests against the four reporters include: attacking state security, publishing false information, participating in street demonstrations for women's constitutional rights and one reported was even arrested (without charge) for covering the third anniversary of the biggest feminist protest in the capital of Tehran in June of 2005.
In the latest Reporters Without Borders world press freedom index, Iran is ranked 166th place out of 169 countries.
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