Iran Editor Jailed For Article On State Religion

Saeed Pourazizi

The editor of an Iranian reformist newspaper has been jailed for publishing an article on Shia Islam deemed offensive by authorities. The official religion of Iran is Shia Islam.

The ISNA news agency said Saeed Pourazizi of the Bahar newspaper was taken to Evin prison on Saturday.
ISNA quoted Pourazizi’s wife, Masoumeh Shahriari, as saying her husband was summoned to court but was taken to jail instead.
She said authorities have demanded bail in exchange for his release.
Iran’s press watchdog banned Bahar last week because of an article authorities said questioned Shia Islam’s beliefs about the Prophet Mohammed’s appointed successor.
Prior to the ban, the daily issued an apology, saying publishing the article was an “unintentional mistake” and it had temporarily suspended activities to “ease the tensions”.

Culture Minister Ali Janati said the article “foments religious conflicts” and that the daily had received earlier warnings.
And judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani warned on Wednesday that his department will “act with determination against those who falsify the history and try to undermine the fundamentals of the regime”.
Iran’s new president Hassan Rouhani, who has the support of reformists and moderates, pledged to work for more social freedom during his election campaign.
Several reformist journalists and political activists in the predominantly Shi’ite country have been released since he took office in August.
Bahar and several other reformist dailies, notably Shargh, only resumed publication at the end of 2012 after a ban lasting several years.