DATE=10/15/1999 TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT TITLE=IRAN -- FREE PRESS NUMBER=5-44532 BYLINE=BARBARA SCHOETZAU DATELINE=NEW YORK CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: According to a new report from a New York-based human rights group, press freedom is a major victim in the political struggle between reformists and conservatives in Iran. Correspondent Barbara Schoetzau has the story. TEXT: The report - issued by the international monitoring group, Human Rights Watch - says that since Iran's reformist President Mohammad Khatami took office in 1997 press freedom has expanded and public discussion on a wide range of issues has opened up. But at the same time, the group says the independent press has come under greater fire from conservative courts that oppose the President's reforms. Human Rights Watch researcher Elahe Hicks is the author of the report, called "As Fragile as a Crystal Glass." Ms. Hicks, an Iranian, says the report was prompted by the court-ordered closings of newspapers that champion reform, beginning in June 1998 with Jameh'e. Last month, the courts closed the newspaper Neshat and sentenced its publisher to a 30-month suspended prison term. According to Iran's constitution, Ms. Hicks says, offenses related to the press should come under the jurisdiction of Iran's press court. This in itself is problematic, Ms.Hicks says, because the current head of the press court is - in her view -- a partisan appointed by the conservative clergy. But she says the situation is further complicated by the intervention of other courts. //// HICKS ACT //// Before President Khatami took office, we had newspapers closed down by an administrative order by the Ministry of Culture. Unfortunately since then, newspapers (are) closed down by the press court, by the administrative order, by the special court for clergy and by the revolutionary court. //// END ACT //// The press crackdown triggered clashes between students and supporters of the conservative clergy in July. Still, Iran's parliament is currently debating an amendment to the 1985 press law which would place further restrictions on the press. //// HICKS ACT //// They are about to discuss the details of the amendment. It is putting more restrictions on the current press law. And they are adding to the supervisory board within the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, bringing more conservatives to this board and perhaps give more authority to close down newspapers by administrative order. /// END ACT /// However, Ms. Hicks says she is encouraged by the decision in August by Iran's Supreme leader Ali Khomenei to appoint a reform-minded person as the new head of the judiciary. ////HICKS ACT //// Ayatollah (Hashemi) Shahrudi has this reputation of a pure scholar who stays away from politics. The reputation of Ayatollah Yazdi, his predecessor, was very much involved with politics. The new head of the judiciary came, talking about how the judiciary needed reform. Everyone hopes that through changing the judges and changing perhaps the law we will see a new performance by the judiciary. //// END ACT //// The Human Rights Watch report calls on the government of Iran to ensure that writers, journalists, and publishers are not prosecuted for expressing their opinions. Elahe Hicks says the report also asks the international community to play a greater role. //// HICKS ACT //// You know, the European governments - they have this constructive dialogue with Iran. We want in this dialogue that they encourage the government of Iran to adopt legislation and regulation with regard to freedom of expression and so on. //// END ACT //// The Human Rights Watch report recommends the government amend Iran's constitution to allow greater freedom of expression, replace the current Press Law of 1985 and oppose the restrictive amendment Parliament is considering. No one was available at Iran's Mission in New York to comment on the report. (Signed) NEB/NYC/bjs/LSF/PT 15-Oct-1999 18:17 PM EDT (15-Oct-1999 2217 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .