The arrest of Emaddedin Baghi and conviction of three Amir Kabir University Students ‎has infuriated civil society groups, student groups, human rights organizations and social ‎activists. ‎

Last week, the Association in Defense of Press Freedom released a statement voicing ‎concerns about increasing restrictions on press freedoms, exchange of information and ‎free speech. The Association’s statement, which was released following a meeting of its ‎members on Wednesday, declared, “The arrest of journalists and media, political and ‎clerical figures, based on convictions from illegal courts, accompanied by illegal ‎measures, has increased considerably, and as such, portrays a hopeless picture of the ‎future of the country’s information exchange network.” ‎

Three Amir Kabir University students by the names of Majid Tavakkoli, Ehsan Mansouri ‎and Ahmad Ghassaban were convicted to a total of 7.5 years in prison on accusations of ‎publishing insulting material, even though the students’ attorney has announced that ‎‎“they have repeatedly denied the charges in court,” and “there is no evidence for their ‎involvement in publishing forged and insulting material other than confessions extracted ‎under torture and pressure while at Evin’s Ward 209.” ‎

The statement adds, “Mr. Emaddedin Baqi, a member of the Association in Defense of ‎Press Freedom, has been transferred to Ward 209 at the Evin Prison on baseless charges ‎and through illegal measures. Really, he has been arrested for his past journalism and ‎activities in the field of human rights. He has no access to an attorney or his family. All ‎this, despite the fact that Baqi has already spent three years of his life in prison on similar ‎charges.”‎

The Association in Defense of Human Rights continues, “In the field of free speech, ‎attempts to limit voices and threats on political and cultural figures and their summons to ‎court has increased. Hojjattoleslam Hadi Ghabel was arrested on several political ‎charges such as delivering a speech and sharing a different point of view, without respect ‎for the due process of law, without access to an attorney, and in front of an institution that ‎is itself illegal, and in violation of Article 168 of the Constitution which nulls the verdicts ‎of a court that is unjust and lacks a jury.” ‎

The Association adds, “In the field of press freedom, the ministry of culture and Islamic ‎guidance, under direct supervision of the person of the minister, refuses to issue permits ‎to newspapers, weeklies, …. The president’s representative on the respective board ‎attempts to deceive the public by using vague and ambiguous language and phrases. In ‎certain of the country’s provinces, such as Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, Sistan and Baluchistan, ‎extreme pressures and restrictions are imposed on independent journalists under the guise ‎of controlling religious and ethnic strife. The condition of several of the detainees has ‎added to our worries.” ‎
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