The Spokesperson Cannot Speak?

Roozonline - Last week when a reporter asked the spokesperson of Iran’s judiciary about “police actions” that included “confronting women who partially observe the hijab,” attacking cinema goers, trespassing into private domains, harassing those who possessed and walked dogs, and people who wore neckties, he responded by challenging the reporter that if he could not support his assertions and prove them and if it became clear that the assertions were not right, he could face “prosecution.”

This incident begs the question: When a reporter asks a question from judiciary officials and asks for their opinion, must he bring necessary documents with himself to the interview session to prove the basis of his questions or perhaps to even bring along the people who may have that question on their mind in order to be immune to possible prosecution?

In this case, the reporter from state-run Etelaat newspaper raised a question which is a normal issue in the life of ordinary Iranians and there is probably nobody who has not read or heard something about it from others. So asking a judiciary official – whose job happens to be the proper implementation of laws - about the legality of police actions and behavior is among the most natural questions that a reporter or for that matter any citizen is expected to ask. By making threats, Mr. Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejhei restricts the sphere of journalistic activities so much that not only will reporters feel constrained in expressing their views or writing reports about prevalent issues and conditions in the country or even to critique the policies of the state, but from now on they must in fact be concerned about the very questions they ask which may end them up in a court of law or even worse behind prison bars. In short, self-censoring themselves.

It is noteworthy that this issue comes just a few weeks after Tehran’s prosecutor filed charges against Majlis representative Ali Motahari for the questions that the latter raised on the floor of the parliament which was done as a way to preempt lawmakers from speaking their mind in the legislature and also to prevent journalists from asking questions.

Judiciary officials, including Mr. Mohseni Ejhei who has a long history of making supra-legal assertions, forget that their work as the judiciary spokesperson is primarily to respond to questions raised by reporters. If they do not have answers to the questions, they normally investigate the issue and then provide a response and by no logic are they supposed to threaten journalists whose questions may come the mind of any person in the country. When such questions are asked, even the spokespersons of the police and senior officials of the force have a responsibility to respond. The concern is that such practices set precedence for other agencies such as the police to file complaints against reporters, and you can imagine what such events will promote and lead to.

If journalists in Iran had an independent trade organization of their own, they could file complaints against such baseless threats by people like Mr. Mohseni Ejhei who as senior officials of this country are either failing in their responsibilities or are deep ignorant, and thus not allow such intimidations to continue or expand and limit the work of journalists. Unfortunately such an organization no longer exists and officials demonstrate that they cannot differentiate between their public relations staff and a journalist.

What is worse is that those who are in the business of teaching journalism in Iran have not reacted to such threats and remarks and seem to accept whatever befalls on journalists. Individuals such as Dr. Mehdi Forghani, Dr. Mohsenianrad or even Dr. Shokrkhah Khoshnam who have for years taught tens of journalist students and sent them into their trade are expected to at least challenge such threats and remarks.

They can write and publish articles to explain and describe the profession of journalism from legal, professional and human perspectives, actions that are in fact part of their job of teaching and informing others of the trade. These are steps they can take and be very effective.

What is certain is that these days will pass, but what will remain are names and the outcome of actions.

by Omid Memarian