Iranian authorities block reformist websites

TEHRAN: Internet access to three websites close to Iranian's leading reformist party has been blocked by the authorities, prompting a protest by the party leader.

The sites, Rouydad (Happening), Emrouz (Today) and Bamdad (Dawn), all close to the Islamic Iran Participation Front, have been unobtainable at least since Sunday.

On Rouydad, the only page which could be accessed but only through certain Internet servers, there was a letter of protest from the Front's general secretary, Mohammad Reza Khatami, the brother of reformist president Mohammad Khatami, to the authorities.

Reza addressed his protest to the vice-president in charge of justice issues, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, saying that the police bureau of public morals had put pressure on Internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to the sites.

"Apparently, several ISPs have decided to block access to the Rouydad site after receiving threats ... even though the committee set up by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution is not opposed to its existence."

The committee in question was set up to filter out pornographic websites and those politically hostile to the Islamic Republic.

Reza added that several people working for Rouydad had received summonses by telephone.

In recent weeks, the Tehran authorities have shut down two reformist daily newspapers, Nassim Sabah, and Vaghayeh Etefaghieh, while a third, Jomhouriat, announced Monday it was ceasing publication after its managing editor was issued a summons.

summonsed.

The closures are the latest in a long line over the years, which have also been marked by the arrest of scores of journalists, and the conservatives' victory in this year's elections has lead to fears in the profession of a further crackdown.

The press freedom watchdog Reporters sans frontihres (RSF) expressed its "deep concern" at what it called "the measures taken by the Iranian authorities to limit access to Internet sites." -- AFP