Award winning Iranian journalist released on bail

          
          Award-winning Irazilanjournalist released on bail An'mesty International http://wwwanmesty ,org/en/mws-and-i.dates/award-winning-iranian-Jou ,..
          AMNESTY
          I NIERNATI ONAL ________________________
          In your country:
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          Award-winning Irazilanjournalist released on bail An'niesty International ltp://wwwanmesty.org/en/mws-and-i,dates/award-winning-iranian-Jou.
          > Home > Award-winning Iranian journalist released on bail
          AWARD-WINNING IRANIAN JOURNALIST
          RELEASED ON BAIL
          23 June 2010
          Amnesty
          International
          has called on
          the Iranian
          authorities to
          drop all
          charges
          against the
          prominent
          journalist and
          human rights
          activist Emadeddin Baghi, following his release on bail on
          Wednesday.
          The recipient of 2009's Martin Ennals Award for human rights,
          he had been detained since his arrest in December 2009.
          He was released from Tehran's Evin prison on bail of 200
          million Tomans (US$200,000).
          Though released, he now faces additional charges of
          undertaking “propaganda against the state” and “colluding to
          commit acts against national security”.
          The charges relate to an interview he conducted two years
          earlier with a now deceased government critic and senior
          cleric, Grand Ayatollah Montazeri.
          He is due to face trial on the new charges on 7 July. Several
          other cases are also pending against him. If convicted and
          imprisoned, Amnesty International would consider him to be a
          prisoner of conscience
          ‘The release of Emadeddin Baghi is a small step towards
          ending injustice. Unfortunately hundred of others are
          languishing in prisons and Baghi may yet be returned to the
          infamous Evin prison where so many rights actitivists are
          held,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International's
          Deputy Director of Middle East and North Africa.
          “But Emadeddin Baghi has been repeatedly imprisoned and
          released for his work. All conditions of this release must be
          rescinded and the charges against him must be dropped.”
          Emaddedin Baghi has been repeatedly
          imprisoned and released for his work
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          27/07 2010 13:45
        

          
          Award-winning Irazilanjournalist released on bail An'niesty International http://wwwanmesty.org/en/mws-and-i.dates/award-winning-iranian-Jou.
          Emadeddin Baghi was arrested the day after mass
          anti-government protests were held in Tehran and other cities
          during the Shi'a religious occasion of Ashoura, in December
          2009.
          Afew days earlier, BBC Persian TV had aired an interview
          Baghi had recorded two years earlier with Grand Ayatollah
          Montazeri, to mark the cleric's death earlier that month.
          Journalists have been subjected to a wave of arrests in Iran
          following the 2009 post-election demonstrations, often being
          detained in solitary confinement without charge or trial.
          ‘The Iranian authorities' crackdown on journalists and human
          rights activists since the disputed 2009 election is a blatant,
          but doomed, attempt to repress all criticism and cover up a
          litany of abuses,” said Hassiba Hadj-Sahraoui.
          “Iran must end the harassment of human rights defenders and
          the criminalization of human rights activism.”
          Over 100 journalists perceived as “reformist' are believed to
          have been arrested following the 2009 demonstrations. At
          least 40 of them remain detained, imprisoned or on temporary
          leave at risk of return to prison. Others are free on bail,
          awaiting trial.
          There are frequent reports of further arrests, and the banning
          of publications.
          During a previous period of imprisonment in 2007-2008 prison
          officials delayed granting Emadeddin Baghi urgently needed
          medical treatment.
          He was eventually granted medical leave, but he still suffers
          from kidney, bladder and other problems arising from the
          treatment he suffered. Before his release in 2008, Baghi
          suffered three seizures and a heart attack.
          Baghi has been repeatedly arrested and imprisoned for his
          work as a human rights activist and journalist in Iran. His
          imprisonment in 2007 came after being found guilty of
          “printing lies” and “endangering national security” upon the
          publication of his book, The Tragedy of Democracy.
          He also spent three years in prison between 2000 and 2003
          after being convicted of “acting against national security” for
          his writings about what became known as the serial murders
          of dissident intellectuals in Iran in the late 1 990s, which the
          government later attributed to “rogue elements” within the
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          Award-winning Irazilanjournalist released on bail An'niesty International ltp://wwwanmestyorg/en/mws-and-i.dates/award-winning-iranian-Jou
          Intelligence Ministry.
          As well as the Association to Defend Prisoners' Rights,
          Emadeddin Baghi also founded another non-governmental
          organization, the Society of Right to Life Guardians, which
          campaigns against the death penalty in Iran.
          READ MORE
          Iranian activist banned from receiving human rights
          award in Geneva (News, 3 November 2009)
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