| Submit your comments on this article |
| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iran bars reformist journalist from leaving country |
| 2004-11-30 |
| TEHERAN — A dissident Iranian journalist has been barred from leaving the Islamic republic after trying to fly to the Netherlands for a conference, the student news agency Isna reported yesterday."I was told at the airport that I am banned from leaving the country by a Revolutionary Court order," Isa Saharkhiz, a former culture ministry official and editor of the banned pro-reform monthly Aftab, was quoted as saying. The Islamic republic's hardline judiciary has recently renewed its crackdown on reformist journalists, with the operation extending to contributors to Internet sites. Meanwhile, Canada hit straight back after Iran warned its new ambassador to Teheran would get into "trouble" if he pursued the case of a murdered Iranian-Canadian photographer, which has already sparked a diplomatic crisis. The killing of Zahra Kazemi last year, after she was arrested in Iran, sent relations between Ottawa and Teheran into turmoil. But amid signs the tension was easing, Canada last week named a new envoy to Iran, to replace one recalled during the crisis, in a move which now seems only to have reignited tensions. Iran on Sunday warned the new ambassador Gordon Venner not to raise the Kazemi case. |
| Posted by:Steve White |