Imprisoned Iranian journalist wins UN press freedom prize
Friday April 08, 2011 11:31:19 AM,
AKI
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New York: An
Iranian journalist and civil rights campaigner who has been in
jail since his country's disputed presidential elections in
mid-2009 has won a top UN press freedom prize.
An independent jury of 12 media professionals from around the
globe voted to award Ahmad Zeidabadi this year's Guillermo Cano
World Press Freedom Prize, the UN cultural body UNESCO announced.
Announcing the decision, jury president Diana Senghor said
awarding of the prize to Zeidabadi "pays a tribute to his
exceptional courage, resistance and commitment to freedom of
expression, democracy, human rights, tolerance, and humanity".
"Beyond him, also the prize will award the numerous Iranian
journalists who are currently jailed," Senghor added.
UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova called on Iran's hardline
authorities to release Zeidabadi, who is currently serving a
sentence of six years in jail, to be followed by five years of
internal exile and a life ban from working as a journalist.
Zeidabadi has been charged with plotting to overthrow the
government with a "soft revolution".
Since 2000 he has been frequently jailed because of his work in
defending freedom of speech and expression.
"Throughout his career Ahmad Zeidabadi has courageously and
unceasingly spoken out for press freedom and freedom of
expression, which is a fundamental human right that underpins all
other civil liberties, a key ingredient of tolerant and open
societies and vital for the rule of law and democratic
governance," Bokova said.
At least 26 other journalists remain in prison following a wave of
arrests in the aftermath of Iran's disputed presidential election
in June 2009, UNESCO said.
Zeidabadi is a former editor-in-chief of Azad newspaper and a
contributor to Hamshahari, the BBC's Persian-language service and
the Persian/English news website Rooz. He is also a professor of
political science.
Guillermo Cano was a Colombian newspaper editor who was murdered
in front of his office in December 1986 by hitmen linked to the
country's drug cartels. Winners of the prize receive $25,000.
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