Noam Chomsky calls on Iran to release imprisoned journalist Marzieh Rasouli

By Saeed Kamli Dehghan:

The US philosopher Noam Chomsky has called on Iran to release the female journalist Marzieh Rasouli who was jailed last week to endure a sentence of 50 lashes and two years in prison.

Chomsky told the Guardian that the detention of Rasouli and at least three other female journalists in the past two months was "entirely unacceptable", urging Hassan Rouhani's administration to swiftly act for their release. Saba Azarpeik and Reyhaneh Tabatabaei are among other journalists arrested recently.

"I was surprised and distressed to learn of the detention and harsh treatment of Marzieh Rasouli and other women journalists in Iran," Chomsky told the Guardian. "Surely such actions are entirely unacceptable, and I hope and trust that they will quickly be released and compensated for their unjust punishment."

Read more here in Guardian:

Photos of Marzieh Rasouli, for media and social media use

If you would like to cover the news of Marzieh Rasouli's incarceration, you can use these photos we have shared in this photo album in Google Plus:

For more information about her feel free to contact us:
free.parastoo.marzieh@gmail.com

New York Times: Iranian Reporter Faces 2 Years in Prison and 50 Lashes

"She was initially arrested in January 2012, along with two colleagues, and detained for more than a month and interrogated about what was said to be her cooperation with BBC Persian, a channel staffed mainly by Iranian expatriates in London. She was later released on bail.  BBC Persian has repeatedly stressed that it has “no staff members or stringers working inside Iran,” but its news broadcasts, offering an alternative source of information to state television, enrage hard-liners in the Islamic Republic. One of people initially detained with Ms. Rasouli was the sister of a BBC Persian journalist."

Read more here:

Guardian: Rasouli the latest journalist imprisoned by Islamic republic for 'spreading propaganda' against the government

From Guardian:

Jason Stern from the New York Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) told the Guardian he was shocked by Rasouli's imprisonment.

"The sad truth is the imprisonment of journalists by the dozens has become normal for Iran ever since the government launched an unprecedented crackdown on the press after the 2009 elections," he said.

"That crackdown has not slowed in the past year, with CPJ documenting a series of arrests and prosecutions of journalists. Now Iran is on track to reclaim the title of the world's worst jailer of journalists this year."

Read more here:

Mashable: Iranian Journalist Gets 50 Lashes and 2 Years in Prison for 'Propaganda'

None of her friends and family, who launched a website in support of her cause in 2012, believed this was going to happen, according to a close friend of Rasouli, who spoke to Mashable on condition of remaining anonymous for her and Rasouli's safety.

"She didn't even have time to say goodbye to her family," the friend said. "She couldn't say goodbye to her mom and dad. She was shocked."

Read more in Mashable:

Marzieh Rasouli jailed, again

Iranian journalist Marzieh Rasouli walked to prison on Tuesday 8 July. She had been summoned a day earlier to serve her sentence of 'two years plus fifty lashes', passed by a court of appeal for 'propaganda against the state and disrupting public order through participation in rallies'.

Marzieh was first to break all this in twitter. She noted the 'rush' in calling her to Evin before even the verdict from the court of appeal could be delivered.

Ms Rasouli was first arrested in January 2012. She spent six weeks in 'temporary detention', partly in solitary confinement, during which she was pressured to confess she had worked for the BBC. A film was later aired on Iran's state TV in which Rasouli and a number of other journalists talked to the camera, and were accused of 'unlawful contact with foreign media'. The BBC has repeatedly said it does not work with journalists inside Iran, including Ms Rasouli.

In March 2012, Ms Rasouli was released on bail. One year later she was sentenced to two years in prison and fifty lashes for taking part in protests after the disputed 2009 elections. A court of appeal upheld the ruling.

Marzieh Rasouli wrote mostly about arts and culture. She began her work as a journalist with ISNA in 2001 and later joined a number of so-called reformist newspapers, the latest of which where Etemad and Shargh. She also kept a popular blog in Farsi, Three Days Earlier.


For more information about Marzieh Rasouli, please contact:
free.parastoo.marzieh@gmail.com

مرضیه رسولی دوباره زندانی شد

مرضیه رسولی، روزنامه‌نگار ایرانی، سه شنبه ۱۷ تیر برای اجرای حکم دو سال حبس تعزیری و ۵۰ ضربه شلاق به زندان اوین رفت. "تبلیغ علیه نظام و اخلال در نظم عمومی از طریق شرکت در تجمعات" از اتهاماتی است که علیه خانم رسولی مطرح شده بود.

مرضیه رسولی یک روز قبل از زندانی شدن در توییترخود نوشت که پیش از ابلاغ تایید حکم اولیه در دادگاه تجدیدنظر، از او خواسته‌اند که خود را برای اجرای حکم به دادسرای اوین معرفی کند.

خانوم رسولی در زمستان ۱۳۹۰ به اتهام اقدام علیه امنیت ملی بازداشت شد و شش هفته در زندانهای تحت کنترل سپاه پاسداران بازجویی می‌شد. او بخش زیادی از این مدت  را در سلول انفرادی گذراند و تحت فشار بود که به همکاری با رسانه‌هایی از جمله بی‌بی‌سی فارسی اعتراف کند. بی‌بی‌سی‌ همواره ارتباط با روزنامه‌نگاران در ایران از جمله مرضیه رسولی را تکذیب کرده است.

کمی پس از بازداشت خانم رسولی، فیلمی در تلویزیون دولتی ایران از او و چند روزنامه‌نگار دیگر پخش شد که در آن اتهاماتی چون ارتباط غیرقانونی با رسانه‌های خارجی علیه آنها مطرح شد.

رسولی بعد از شش هفته بازداشت در اسفند ماه ۱۳۹۰ با وثیقه ۳۰۰ میلیون تومانی آزاد شد و یک سال بعد در دادگاه اولیه به دوسال حبس تعزیری و پنجاه ضربه شلاق به دلیل تبلیغ علیه نظام و شرکت در تجمعات پس از انتخابات سال ۱۳۸۸ متهم شد.

تایید حکم محکومیت خانوم رسولی در دادگاه تجدید نظر هنوز به صورت کتبی به او ابلاغ نشده است اما سه روز پیش در تماس تلفنی وکیلش به او اطلاع داده شد که باید برای اجرای حکم به زندان اوین مراجعه کند.

مرضیه رسولی کار مطبوعاتی را از خبرگزاری ایسنا شروع کرد و در ۱۳ سال گذشته برای روزنامه‌های معروف به اصلاح‌طلب از جمله شرق و اعتماد کار کرد. یادداشتها و گزارشهای او بیشتر در حوزه فرهنگ، موسیقی و نقد کتاب هستند.

Marzieh Rasouli released on bail

Iranian journalist Marzieh Rasooli is released on bail from Evin prison.

Marzieh was arrested on the evening of 17 January at her home and spent most of her six-week detention in solitary cell, during which she was under immense pressure by the Islamic Republic Revolutionary Guards to make false confessions of working with the BBC.

The news of her release comes amid a new propaganda campaign by the Revolutionary Guards in which a number of Iranian journalists are accused of cooperating not just with the BBC, but the British intelligence services.

The website Gerdab, run by the Revolutionary Guards Cyber Defence Command, published a report on Saturday in which Marzieh, along with other detained journalists Parastoo Dokouhaki and Saham Bourghani, were accused of operating as 'agents' inside Iran, helping the British broadcaster logistically, editorially and by way of collecting data.

The report, ostensibly unearthing a secret mission codenamed 'Eye of the Fox', ends with a note that a documentary would be broadcast on the state-run TV 'in the coming days.'

Such documentary would not be the first one of its kind in the history of the Islamic Republic. It could feature 'confessions' by any of the recently detained journalists, which being obtained with force, is void even under the laws of the Islamic Republic. Yet it would certainly cause further distress for the journalists and their family and friends.

It would be imperative to expose any such farcical display even before it is out in the public -- and is used as a pretext to indict innocent journalists.

Thus, expressing our utmost gratitude for all of you who helped us in the past few weeks, we once more ask you to lend us a hand to publicize, condemn and ultimately defeat this malicious attempt to destroy our friends and dispirit many others.

مرضیه رسولی با وثیقه ۳۰۰ میلیون تومانی آزاد شد

مرضیه رسولی، روزنامه‌نگار زندانی که نزدیک به پنجاه روز در سلولهای انفرادی سپاه پاسداران زندانی شده بود، امروز با وثیقه ۳۰۰ میلیون تومانی آزاد شد.

خانم رسولی در بند دو الف زندان اوین از سوی ماموران امنیتی سپاه پاسداران تحت فشار شدید بوده که به دروغ به همکاری با بی‌بی‌سی فارسی اعتراف کند.

ما از تمام افراد و سازمانهایی که با اطلاع‌رسانی در مورد وضعیت مرضیه به آزادی او کمک کردند تشکر می کنیم.

پرستو دوکوهکی با قرار وثیقه آزاد شد

پرستو دوکوهکی، وبلاگ نویس زندانی که نزدیک به پنجاه روز در سلولهای انفرادی سپاه پاسداران زندانی شده بود، امروز با وثیقه ۳۰۰ میلیون تومانی آزاد شد.

خانم دوکوهکی در بند دو الف زندان اوین از سوی ماموران امنیتی سپاه پاسداران تحت فشار شدید بوده که به دروغ به همکاری با بی‌بی‌سی فارسی اعتراف کند.

ما از تمام افراد و سازمانهایی که با اطلاع‌رسانی در مورد وضعیت پرستو به آزادی او کمک کردند تشکر می کنیم.

Parastoo Dokouhaki released on bail

Iranian journalist Parastoo Dokouhaki is released on bail from Evin prison.

Parastoo was arrested on the night of 15 January at her family home and spent most of her six-week detention in solitary cell, during which she was under immense pressure by the Islamic Republic Revolutionary Guards to make false confessions of working with the BBC.

The news of her release comes amid a new propaganda campaign by the Revolutionary Guards in which a number of Iranian journalists are accused of cooperating not just with the BBC, but the British intelligence services.

The website Gerdab, run by the Revolutionary Guards Cyber Defence Command, published a report yesterday in which Parastoo, along with other detained journalists Marzieh Rasouli and Saham Bourghani, were accused of operating as 'agents' inside Iran, helping the British broadcaster logistically, editorially and by way of collecting data.

The report, ostensibly unearthing a secret mission codenamed 'Eye of the Fox', ends with a note that a documentary would be broadcast on the state-run TV 'in the coming days.'

Such documentary would not be the first one of its kind in the history of the Islamic Republic. It could feature 'confessions' by any of the recently detained journalists, which being obtained with force, is void even under the laws of the Islamic Republic. Yet it would certainly cause further distress for the journalists and their family and friends.

It would be imperative to expose any such farcical display even before it is out in the public -- and is used as a pretext to indict innocent journalists.

Thus, expressing our utmost gratitude for all of you who helped us in the past few weeks, we once more ask you to lend us a hand to publicise, condemn and ultimately defeat this malicious attempt to destroy our friends and dispirit many others.

دروغ نگویید و آزادشان کنید

Marzieh's father: She is innocent; they don't tell us why she's been arrested

Forty days has passed since the night Iranian journalist, Marzieh Rasouli, was arrested at her home. She's spent many days in a solitary cell in a ward controlled by the Revolutionary Guards at Evin prison; and despite all their efforts, her family is yet to know why she was arrested. In an interview with the reformist website, Kaleme, her father, Abolfazl Rasouli, says about the false promises of her daughter's 'immediate release', and the trepidations of her ailing mother.

Below comes the full text of the interview, translated to English from the original in Persian.

It's forty days now since your daughter was arrested? Have you followed her case with judicial authorities?

Everyday since the day she was arrested I've been to the prosecutors office at Evin; all to no avail, no one feels responsible to give answers. We've been to the Tehran Court of Justice too, with the request to visit Marzieh. We were but told to go to the Prosecutor's Deputy. And there they said the Deputy didn't deal with 'security' cases, but only the Prosecutor himslelf.

Did the judicial authorities inform you at any stage as to why Marzieh was arrested?

We don't have a clue why she's been arrested. Two weeks ago, following several attempts to see the judge in charge of the case, we were eventually able to meet him, but he refused to give any explanation about my daughter's charges. They've kept her for forty days without us knowing why. My wife has a heart condition. She still doesn't know Marzieh has been arrested. We've told her that she's had to go for a work-related trip. She keeps asking for her and we keep saying she'll be back any day now. Yet days go by and nothing happens.

Is it true that judicial authorities had talked about her immediate release?

Two weeks ago, someone called saying he was the interrogator. He said my daughter was about to be released. We followed that and asked the judge to help her be released in time to attend her brother's wedding ceremony; yet again, it wasn't to be. Also Marzieh said in one of her phone-calls that she had been told she'd be released.

Did you speak with judicial authorities about this promise?

We brought it up when meeting the judge in charge of the case. But he said he wasn't aware of any phone-call to that effect' and that the interrogator had never called us in this regard (Marzieh's release).

How was your daughter when you met her?

She was visibly weakened, both physically and mentally, by so many days in solitary confinement. And more so because of all the uncertainties surrounding her case. In the visiting-session, a person who seemed to be Marzieh's interrogator asked my if I knew that my daughter didn't observe Islamic ordinances and went to trips with her friends. He also said that her interrogation was nearing the end, and she was about to be released.

 

Any final word?

I have repeatedly pointed out that in her eleven years of work as a journalist, my daughter has never had any political activity . She's always worked in the area of arts and culture. She's innocent. I want her to be released as soon as possible.

پدر مرضیه رسولی: هنوز دلیل بازداشت دخترمان را نمی‌دانیم

کلمه: نزدیک به چهل روز از شبی که نیروهای امنیتی مرضیه رسولی را در منزلش بازداشت کردند می‌گذرد. او روزهای متوالی در سلول انفرادی بوده و در تمام این مدت پیگیری های خانواده‌اش برای اطلاع از علت دستگیری این روزنامه‌نگار بی‌نتیجه مانده است. ابوالفضل رسولی، پدر مرضیه از وعده‌های دروغ برای آزادی دخترش و بی‌تابی همسر بیمارش می‌گوید: همسر من ناراحتی قلبی دارد و هنوز از دستگیری دخترم بی‌اطلاع است. به او گفته‌ایم که دخترم به سفری کاری رفته و در جواب بی‌تابی‌هایش می‌گوییم دیگر همین روزها از سفر برمی‌گردد اما روزها می‌گذرد و خبری نمی‌شود.

حدود چهل روز است که دختر شما در زندان است. تاکنون به چه مراجع قضایی مراجعه کرده‌اید؟

از فردای دستگیری دخترم هر روز به دادسرای اوین مراجعه می‌کنیم اما هیچ کس پاسخ درست و مشخصی به ما نمی‌دهد. به دادگستری تهران مراجعه کردیم و در خواست ملاقات دادیم اما مسئول دفتر رییس دادگستری مرا به معاون اول دادستان ارجاع دادند. آنجا هم به ما گفتند پرونده های امنیتی به ایشان مربوط نمی شود و دادستان شخصا به پرونده های امنیتی رسیدگی می کند.

مقامات قضایی دلیل بازداشت دخترتان را به شما گفته اند؟

اصلا نمی دانیم دخترم چرا بازداشت شده. حدود دو هفته قبل، پس از مراجعه های بسیار و درخواست دیدار با قاضی پرونده موفق به دیدار ایشان شدیم ولی از ارائه هرگونه توضیحی درباره اتهام دخترم خودداری کردند. حدود چهل روز است که دخترم را زندانی کرده اند بدون اینکه بدانیم چرا؟ همسر من ناراحتی قلبی دارد و هنوز از دستگیری دخترم بی اطلاع است . به او گفته ایم که دخترم به سفری کاری رفته و در جواب بی تابی هایش می گوییم دیگر همین روزها از سفر برمی گردد اما روزها می گذرد و خبری نمی شود.

در خبرها آمده بود که مقامات قضایی به دخترتان وعده آزادی داده بودند.

حدود دو هفته قبل شخصی که خود را بازجوی پرونده معرفی کرد طی تماس تلفنی وعده آزادی دخترم را داده بود. با توجه به اینکه در ان زمان مراسم ازدواج پسرم هم در پیش بود از قاضی پرونده خواستیم که شرایط آزادی هر چه سریع تر دخترم را فراهم کنند تا به مراسم ازدواج برادرش برسد اما نتیجه ای نداد. دخترم هم در طی تماس تلفنی خود گفت به او وعده ازادی داده اند.

آیا شما این وعده را از مقامات قضایی هم پیگیری کردید؟

وقتی با قاضی پرونده ملاقات کردیم، گفت که تماس ها از طرف آنها نبوده و بازجوی پرونده در زمینه آزادی مرضیه هیچ گونه تماس تلفنی نگرفته است!

وضعیت دخترتان در ملاقات چگونه بود؟

روزهای طولانی بازداشت دخترم را از نظر روحی و جسمی ضعیف کرده بود به خصوص که در وضعیت بلاتکلیفی به سر می برد. در ملاقات حضوری، فردی که به نظر می رسید بازجوی مرضیه باشد، پرسید آیا می دانم که دخترم شئونات اسلامی را رعایت نمی کند و با دوستانش به سفر می رود؟ گفتند که بازجویی های دخترم در مرحله آخر است و به زودی آزاد می شود.

آخرین درخواستتان چیست؟

بارها و طی درخواست های خود به این موضوع اشاره کرده ام که دخترم در طی ۱۱ سال فعالیت خود با مطبوعات سابقه هیچ گونه فعالیت سیاسی نداشته و تنها در حوزه ادب و هنر با رسانه ها همکاری می کرده است و بی گناه بازداشت شده است. خواستار تسریع در رونده پرونده دخترم و آزادی هر چه زودتر او هستم.

Dokouhaki's mother: the highest judicial office in the land says it's not responsible for my daughter's case

Judicial authorities have told Parastoo Dokouhaki's mother that the Judiciary is not responsible for her daughter's case. According to the reformist website Kaleme, which has conducted an exclusive interview with Parastoo's mother, people at the office of the Head of the Judiciary, the highest judicial authority in Iran, have claimed that that office is not responsible for 'security' cases.

Below comes the interview, translated from its original in Persian.

It's more than a month since Parastoo was arrested. Have you been informed as to why?
No. Every day since the day following the night she was taken, I've been to the prosecution office at Evin prison; all to no avail. No one from the judiciary has ever said why my daughter was arrested. All they say is that Parastoo has to explain a few things and is there to answer some questions. Yet I'm fully aware of Parastoo's activities. In the past two years, after his father's illness, she had quit her work as a journalist. She only worked part-time with Dr. Shariati Foundation.

Have you tried any other judicial office other than the one at Evin?
Yes. I tried the office of the Tehran Prosecutor but eventually his deputy told me people at Evin were responsible to deal with the case. They weren't responsive though. So I decided to go to the highest judicial office in the land, Head of the Judiciary. I wrote a brief note and expressed my concerns for my daughter. I had to wait for many hours by the PR office of the Head of the Judiciary, only to be told that I have to go back to Evin. They didn't even accept my letter.

Why?
They said the Head of the Judiciary is not responsible for security/political cases, and that only the office of the Tehran Prosecutor can deal with them.

What was it that you wanted from the Head of the Judiciary?
I had reminded him in my letter that my daughter has been in a solitary cell for more than a month; that I've been assured again and again that interrogation has been over and things would change; yet days have passed and she's in the very same uncertain position.

It was reported that some officials had told you of Parastoo's immediate release?
That's right. In the visit that I had with her, Parastoo quoted the official in charge of her case that her interrogation was over and she was about to be released. Ten days has passed since then and no news of her release.

Have you followed this, their promise?
Indeed. Contrary to what they'd said to my daughter, they told me the interrogation was still going on, and Parastoo were yet to answer to questions.

Did they tell you about the charges and the questions she has to answer?
No, nothing.

Is it true that Parastoo is on medication? Did you discuss this with the authorities?
Yes. Parastoo wasn't in a very good state psychologically after her father passed away. She was given medication by her doctor. I've repeatedly pointed to this in my letters, but no one pays any attention.

How was she in when you met her in Prison?
I could tell that solitary confinement had weakened her.

And your last word with the authorities?
To release my daughter. I want them to note this that after my husband's death, Parastoo and I were all both of us were left with. Since her arrest more than a month ago, life has become a real misery.