Press fiat may crystallise dissent

By Kesava Menon

MANAMA (BAHRAIN), APRIL 25. Even as Iranian analysts pondered the reasons behind the crackdown on the press, that has just been intensified by the conservative-dominated judiciary, there were signs that the conservatives campaign could have its limits.

Three newspapers, two of which have been the most outspoken in airing the views of the reformers, have escaped the ban on publications which was imposed over the last 48 hours and they will try and fill the gap left by the absence of the other papers. If the exemption of these newspapers indicates anything, it is that there are political considerations which will force the conservatives to hold their hand.

From sometime on Sunday night, the press court had ordered 12 Iranian papers and magazines to suspend publication. The daily Shobe Emrouz, perhaps the foremost Iranian `news' paper because it breaks new stories, was on Monday served with a suspension order. This order, according to journalists, was revoked later in the day and the paper hit the stands today with a headline blaming a `power hungry mafia' for creating the press crisis. It is unclear whether the conservatives will overlook this blatant challenge.

While the paper has been resurrected, two other dailies - Moshareqat and Bayan - were not served any suspension orders at all. These three papers will now have to do the work of the 12 other publications as well if the liberal campaign is to be kept alive.

It is uncertain whether they can make up for the combined circulation of all the other publications put together but it may not really matter since copies can be handed on. To an extent, this `crisis' may be a blessing in disguise for Iranian liberals since it reduces the cacophony produced by the whole plethora of pro-reform publications. The pro-reform campaign can become more consolidated and streamlined.

So long as one pro-reform publication can hit the stands there is hope for the Iranian liberals. No one, other than die-hard conservative supporters, pays much attention to the state- controlled radio and television and conservative publications have few customers other than the government departments which are ordered to buy them.

A liberated press has been one of the few gifts that the Government of the President, Syed Mohammed Khatami, has been able to confer on the Iranian people and it was a benefit that they had begun to enjoy after a gap of 18 years. So long as liberal publications hit the stands they will be lapped up.

Since the entire liberal press has, broadly-speaking, been taking up the same issues and positions the exemption of the three newspapers has probably less to do with what they have been publishing and more to do with their political connections. Moshareqat is brought out by the President's brother, Mr. Mohammed Reza Khatami, who got the highest number of votes in Teheran in the February parliamentary election, as the official organ of his Islamic Iran Participation Front.

Shobe Emrouz was being published under the guidance of Mr. Saeed Hajarian, a leading reform ideologue who barely survived an assassination attempt widely believed to have been carried out by his conservative opponents.

Pro-reform forces have noticed that while the conservatives may resort to harsh measures from time to time they have also recognised that there are limits to how far they can go. Journalists have been jailed on charges for which very drastic penalties could have been imposed. Instead in all cases the sentences have been only for a couple of years of light imprisonment.

Ervin prison in Teheran is fast being turned into a university for the liberal cause. Something else has also happened in the three years during which the liberal press was allowed to operate. Iranians were able to examine and express their views on important matters and the attitude they have developed towards the conservative clerical establishment is one of contempt.

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