Amnesty International has launched a campaign for the release of two journalists from Iran’s Kurdish minority jailed for criticising the regime.
Brothers Khosro and Masoud Kordpour were sentenced to six years and three and a half years respectively on November 10 for ‘acting against national security’ and ‘spreading propaganda’.
Amnesty said it believed evidence against both men was based on Intelligence Ministry reports relating to interviews to external media on the human rights situation in Kurdistan Province.
Amnesty said: “Journalists expressing views contrary to those of the regime have long been persecuted in Iran. At least 40 journalists, as well as 29 bloggers and online activists, are currently serving prison terms in Iran.
“Kurdish human rights defenders, community activists and journalists often face arbitrary arrest, prosecution, torture, grossly unfair trials before Revolutionary Courts and, in some cases, the death penalty.”
