Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-05-18-Speech-4-249"
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"en.20000518.11.4-249"2
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"Mr President, ‘
’ or ‘The Spring’ is the name of a new independent newspaper in the Islamic Republic of Iran which we hope is still being published. The name ‘Bahar’ clearly refers to a political programme and undeniably supports President Khatami’s reform policy. This course probably coincides rather well with the pursuit of a civil society.
Iranian conservative circles saw this trend as a deliberate attempt to secularise their own state – and with good reason. To their growing dismay, these fervent defenders of the political status-quo within the Islamic Republic have been pushed onto the defensive since President Khatami took office in 1998. This was underlined by a painful defeat in the parliamentary elections only a few months ago.
In order to turn the political tide, the hard liners in Tehran have not shrunk from using any means available to them. Just cast your mind back to some eighteen months ago, when a number of independent clergy were killed in macabre circumstances, or to last year, when the student protest was ruthlessly repressed. Incidentally, the followers of the revolution leader, Khamenei, attempted to systematically silence the independent and critical press by issuing publication bans. This hit the ultra-conservatives during the parliamentary elections particularly hard. Hence, their furious reaction last month when they closed all but a paltry three of the reform-minded daily newspapers.
The present joint resolution supports the persecuted and the journalists in Iran who are doomed to unemployment. The latter knew and know that they can count on the support of the large majority of the population. Why? Because they were not afraid to publicly turn against a far-reaching lack of freedom in society, which is perpetuated by undisguised terrorist tactics generated by the state machinery. With this resolution, the European Parliament aims to encourage Persian editors in their fight for freedom of the press and to banish all fears at the writing desks."@en1
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