Group calls for release of jailed journalist brothers

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has called for the release of Khosro and Massoud Kordpour, two jailed Iranian journalists who ran the Mukrian News Agency in Kurdistan Province

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The Observatory reports that Khosro Kordpur was arrested on March 7, 2013 in Mahabad, and two days later the Ministry of Intelligence arrested his brother, Massoud Kordpour.

They were then reportedly taken to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) detention centre in Uroumiyeh, where they were kept in solitary confinement.

On April 25, they were finally allowed a visit by family members, who reported that they had not been interrogated during their 45 days of arrest.

Khosro Kordpur went on a 25-day hunger strike to protest his undetermined condition.

They were finally transferred back to Mahabad on June 26, at which point the two brothers had lost between 10 and 20 kilos, and they were finally charged with “enmity against God.”

The brothers are also charged with “crimes against national security, propaganda against the regime and insulting the leader.”

Khosro Kordpour has challenged the charges against him, saying all the material published by his news agency has been within the framework of the law. Massoud Kordpour also defended himself, saying that, as a reporter, he has only exercised his constitutional right to report on issues.

The Observatory reports that the request for bail for the two brothers is pending the judge’s decision, which was not given in court, and their second hearing is to take place in September.

zamaneh