TEHRAN - Iranâs judiciary said on Wednesday it will use jury trials for press-related offences and that a string of sentences handed down to journalists and bans of newspapers could be lifted. âJuries are being formed all around the country, and many trials will end the prosecution and lead to the lifting of bans,â judiciary spokesman and Justice Minister Jamal Karimi-Rad told reporters.
"Let's go, Aswan, it's yer day in court."
"Okay. Hey, what's with all the nasty-looking turbans over there?"
"They're your jury."
"urk." |
In recent years hundreds of publications have been shut down and scores of journalists arrested or imprisoned in a major crackdown by the judiciary, a bastion of Iranâs religious right.
In April, hardline deputies in Iranâs parliament voted to suspend a law passed by their reformist predecessors that was aimed at giving journalists fairer trials. The law, pushed through by reformers in 2003, stipulated that journalists in court for press-related offences should face a jury made up of press union officials and representatives of other social groups.
Deputies in the now-conservative dominated Majlis called for the jury make-up for press-related offences to return to a previous arrangement where jurors are named by a variety of regime officials.
| Like I was just saying ... |
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