The Law Newspaper Released from Seizure by Court Order

The 6th branch of the Tehran Criminal Court has informed the Press Supervisory Board in a letter that the seizure of the Law newspaper has been lifted. The Law newspaper was seized on the last day of Khordad 95 (June 21, 2016) and has been under seizure for 123 days. The seizure of the Law newspaper occurred on June 21 of this year following a complaint from the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC and the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Department of this military-security institution, accusing the newspaper of 'defamation and spreading falsehoods with the intent to disturb public opinion.' However, according to a report from the state news agency IRNA, the 6th branch of the Tehran Criminal Court has stated in a letter to the head of the Press Supervisory Board that 'in accordance with Article 44 of the Press Law,' the seizure of this newspaper has been lifted and 'its resumption of activity is permissible according to this court.' Article 44 of the Press Law stipulates that 'whenever a court ruling is acquittal or a conviction that does not entail the deprivation of social rights, the publication shall be immediately released from seizure if it has been previously seized, and its further publication is permissible.' The news site of the Law newspaper has also announced that 'given the lifting of the seizure of this newspaper, the date of its resumption will be announced subsequently by this media outlet.' The Law newspaper, which began its media activities on August 7, 2011, coinciding with Journalist Day, has been seized once before during its years of operation. This newspaper was seized on May 6, 2014, due to the publication of a news item titled 'The Release of General Rouyanian,' by order of the prosecutor's office, but resumed publication shortly thereafter. Mohammad Rouyanian is a former official of the police force who held the presidency of the Fuel Management and Consumption Headquarters during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government, and in May 2014, reports emerged regarding his arrest in connection with the 'Fuel Headquarters case.' At that time, conflicting reports about the arrest and release of this government official were published, but judicial officials refused to comment on the matter. In the three years since Hassan Rouhani came to power, several independent publications close to reformist groups, including Bahar, Mardom-e Emrooz, and Aseman, have been seized, and some of the seized publications, like the Women Today magazine, have resumed their activities after being seized. In the conservative camp of publications, in recent years, publications such as Yaltesharat and 9 Dey have also experienced seizure, although Yaltesharat continued its publication regardless of the seizure order and even after its license was revoked, while the 9 Dey weekly was also released from seizure by court order.