Advocacy group slams Iranian press moves

NEW YORK, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- A New York advocacy group promoting press freedom condemned an Iranian decision to close an opposition newspaper the same day as massive student protests.

Iranian authorities at the Press Supervisory Board shut down the Hayate No, or New Life, newspaper on Monday because it was "working outside the regulations" of the press law, Iran's Fars News Agency reported earlier this week.

The decision to close the newspaper, which had supported defeated Iranian presidential candidate and opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, came as Iranian riot police clashed with student protesters at Tehran University on Monday.

Pro-reform student groups took advantage of national celebrations marking Student's Day to voice their frustration with the clerical regime in Tehran.

Robert Mahoney, the deputy director of the press advocacy group Committee to Protect Journalists, said the decision to close the paper is in line with Tehran's push to quiet the voice of dissent.

"It can be no coincidence that on the day student protesters take to the streets, the government muzzles yet another reformist newspaper," he said.

CPJ said it has documented a number of cases where the Iranian government cracked down or otherwise intimidated or prevented Iranian and foreign journalist from covering the opposition movement.

"Iran now holds the dubious distinction of being second only to China as a jailer of journalists," added Mahoney.