TEHRAN The editor of the suspended Persian daily Mosharekat (Participation), Mohammadreza Khatami, dismissed on Thursday new charges against the paper saying they lack "legal basis." Talking to the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA) after appearing in court on Thursday, Khatami said new charges were read to him and he responded to all of them.
He said he hoped the court would lift the ban on the daily so that it could resume publication.
"In case an open trial is held in the presence of a jury, the court would have no choice but to acquit the newspaper," said Khatami, who is also the secretary of the mainstream Islamic Iran Participation Party (IIPP).
The party commands the majority of deputies in the current Iranian Parliament after making a decisive victory in the last polls.
Khatami criticized "certain segments of the rulership" for putting restraints on the front's political activities.
"The IIPP commands the majority in the Sixth Parliament. Thus, it is a big injustice to deprive it of an organ for expressing its opinions," he said.
Khatami said his front would take every legal measure to have the court retract its ban on the paper, adding that members of the press have the right to criticize the rulership.
"It is the natural right of the press to present their political comments and criticisms and evaluate the current situation (of the country).
Criticisms can include various entities of the rulership," he said.
Khatami decried the attitude of the court of taking press criticisms as libel or slander and an attempt to undermine the integrity of the state.
"By the way, I do not accept the charges," he said.
Khatami's newspaper is among some 25 publications which have been closed down by the Press Court for alleged dissemination of lies and inciting negative public opinion.
(IRNA)