Sunday, November 27, 2011

IRNA Chairman Indicted on Charges of "Dissemination of Lies"

Ali Akbar Javanfekr

Iran’s Judiciary has formally charged Ali Akbar Javanfekr, President Ahmadinejad’s senior media advisor and the chairman of IRNA, the country’s official news agency, with “dissemination of lies, spreading rumors, and inciting public opinion against the establishment.” [Press TV, 27 November].

Let’s repeat Javanfekr’s current position: chairman of the country’s official news agency IRNA. And the head of the official news agency is charged with dissemination of lies and spreading rumors as defined by the country’s judiciary. Should we then believe government’s own version of events as officially disseminated by its own news agency? I believe this is a first in the world of journalism.

Javanfekr is also charged with inciting the public against the regime. A blue-blooded member of the current establishment, the head of its official news agency, and the senior advisor to the president of the Islamic Republic, is charged with spearheading revolt against the regime. It seems that the circle of trust of the current rulers of Iran is shrinking rapidly.

IRNA has not yet carried the story.

File Photo: Press TV

7 comments:

Unknown said...

The government is trying its own propagandist, only in Iran!

Anonymous said...

First of all it must be pointed out that of all the branches of Iran's government, the most unreliable is the judiciary. It is has been found malleable under a variety of circumstances.

As for this being a "first" in the history of journalism, that's not quite accurate.

By "official" you're referring to IRNA being funded and overseen by the Iranian government. But I wouldn't make too much out of that.

By comparison, there are instances in American history where elements and even heads of the press have been charged. True, these have been privately owned and distributed. But again, I wouldn't make that great a deal out of this distinction, especially in light of what is many times the driving force in both cases: a hard political fight.

Anonymous said...

and it was only a few days ago that PRESS-TV was reporting that it was all unfounded rumor......


----- " Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency has dismissed media reports suggesting that its CEO Ali-Akbar Javanfekr had been taken into custody.


Javanfekr is currently in his office at the Iran newspaper building and all media reports about his detention are rejected, IRNA reported on Monday.

Iran's Judiciary Spokesman Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei confirmed to ISNA that Javanfekr had not been arrested and media reports about his detention were untrue. " ----

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/211300.html



The judiciary has shut down more than 120 pro-reform newspapers and jailed dozens of editors and writers on vague charges of insulting authorities since 2000.

Author: Galen Wright said...

Mr. Uskowi (...or to anyone else reading this!)

In a related manner, do you have any comments on the emerging United Principlist Front (the anti-Ahmadinejad conservative alliance in the 2012 Majlis election). Their first official meeting was last Thursday and I saw a brief blurb by Mehr News Agency about it where the top leaders (Mahdavi-Kani, Hadded-Adel, Velayati) reiterated their basic platform that they've been touting since the summer - namely conservative unity in the face of division.

Was there anything beyond this, was anything substantial discussed like a candidate list for instance.

Nader Uskowi said...

Author: Glen Wright,

Not much reported beyond that large gathering which brought together major figures of the 15 or so Principlist factions. In their speeches, they talked about the necessity of a united front and a common list of candidates for the March Majlis elections. The goal is to stop the “deviationists” supporters of Ahmadinejad/Mashaie to gain enough votes to form a powerful faction within Majlis, and definitely preventing them from gaining the majority. They also have to look at some pro-reform politicians whose candidacy had slipped through the Guardian Council vetting process. This is all plausible on paper. The factional leaders, however, have egos larger than their factions and to some extent differences of opinion and it is problematic for them to divide up the seats in Majlis. They need to do that to avoid running against each other in different districts and allow pro-Ahmadinejad or pro-reform candidates to win. I will follow this and post articles as we get closer to the elections.

Anonymous said...

It's a well known fact that they are all liars.
A regime built on a foundation of lies.

Author: Galen Wright said...

Looking forward to your analysis Nader.