Tehran Governor: Invaders against Iran newspaper to be dealt with seriously

Tehran, Nov 22, IRNA – Tehran Governor and Head of Tehran Province Security Council expressing sorrow over Monday ambush against a cultural and press center said attackers against Iran newspaper would be dealt with seriously. According to IRNA, Tehran Governor Morteza Tamaddon who was visiting the building of Iran newspaper after the invasion of a group against the daily aimed at arresting President's Media Advisor and IRNA Managing Director Ali-Akbar Javanfekr, which led to destroying parts of the daily's building, insulting the reporters, and arresting a large number of Iran newspaper's active journalists, Tamaddon sincerely promised that violators and invaders against Iran newspaper would be dealt with seriously and in accordance with laws. Governor Tamaddon who was speaking with IRNA on Monday night after visiting the aftermaths of the Monday invasion, said, 'The events in Iran newspaper today have been very catastrophic and cannot be justified in any way, while there has been no reason for launching such an ambush against the entire cultural center and all its employees so vastly, and annoying and horrifying them.' Tamaddon said that he had spoken to most of the people at Iran Institute expressing sorrow that most of them were psychologically and spiritually in very low and down conditions and seriously nervous and anxious. He added, 'Iran Publications Institute is a cultural entity and the prestige and status of a cultural atmosphere must definitely be respected, while the employees at this place are all pious, revolutionary, mobilization Basij members, and loyal supporters of the revolution and the system.' The head of Tehran Province Security Council added, 'The prestige and status of media and their prophesy must be respected in the framework of laws, and the editorial board in a daily and its reporters in various fields, such as the economic, sports, the English and Arabic dailies, etc, were not even fully aware of the root cause of what has happened in their work place.' Tamaddon added, 'They were unaware of what had happened at the fourth floor, but were all the same they were pushed out of their offices, while it was necessary that the prestige and high status of journalists who were performing their sensitive prophecy would have been respected.' Tehran Governor who had come to the Iran newspaper building after hearing the news about the ambush, said, 'Along with I, along with the Governorate Political and Security Affairs deputy, visited the scenes of the clashes in the daily's building and talked to the entire employees who were at the place, some of whom were also witnesses to the clashes, and talked also to the daily's officials.' Tamaddon added, 'All the documents and proofs in the Monday events in Iran newspaper building must be collected and delivered to the country's judiciary officials, and then we would wait for them to opine, and judge about the matter, but we know that this case is in need of a clear and decisive judgment.' He pointed out the need for abiding by laws and implementing the judiciary verdicts in accordance with the laws, reiterating, 'Our criticism is aimed at behaviors beyond the barriers of laws, and this case is in need of a serious survey.' Tehran Governor added, 'We have collected a great deal of information, including the comments made by the eye witnesses and the films taken by the mobile sets of some people, and we hope always moderate behavior, proper ethical values, abiding by laws, Islamic ethical system, and country's laws would be kept in mind of everyone all the time, in which case implementing a judiciary verdicts could have been done in a way to refrain from such reactions.' Tamaddon emphasized, 'Implementing this judiciary verdict could have taken place in a way that the prestige and dignity of this cultural atmosphere would not be demolished.' He said, 'The reason why I personally attended the scene of this unfortunate event is the sensitivity of the matter, and because I wished to receive precise and first hand information about the matter, and the Command Headquarters of Tehran Disciplinary Force, too, is parallel with us surveying the issue.' Tehran Governor reiterated, 'The sum up must lead to the result that those who have dealt the reporters and staff of Iran newspaper unjustly, annoyed and harmed them must be held accountable for their deeds.' Tamaddon added, 'About the arrested individuals I have talked to the Deputy Prosecutor General and the Commander of the Disciplinary Forces, and our argument was that a number of the arrested people have be unaware about the Monday event in Iran newspaper building and the reason for their arrest.' Head of the Tehran Province Security Council at the end promised that he would provide for conditions that the entire arrested people would be freed at first possible opportunity and return to their peaceful work atmosphere. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Media Advisor and IRNA managing Director Ali-Akbar Javanfekr has been found guilty for publication of a couple of photographs in a supplement of the Iran newspaper on Islamic dress code, Hijab, and a couple of related articles, as well as his comments in one of the last week editions of the temporarily banned Ea'temad daily on political issue of the day, and sentenced to one year behind the bars and an three-year-ban from journalist activities.