DATE=        JANUARY 12, 1999
TYPE=        EDITORIAL
NUMBER=      0-08141
TITLE=       EDITORIAL:  IRANIAN SECURITY OFFICIALS ARRESTED

CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST 
JANUARY 12, 1999.

ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE 
VARIETY OF ISSUES.  NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

    THIS MONTH, THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THE ARREST OF A 
NUMBER OF OFFICIALS FROM THE MINISTRY OF INTELLIGENCE AND 
SECURITY.  THEY ARE ACCUSED OF BEING INVOLVED IN THE RECENT 
MURDERS OF SEVERAL IRANIAN WRITERS AND OTHER INTELLECTUALS.

    PROMINENT IRANIANS WHO HAVE BEEN MURDERED IN RECENT MONTHS 
INCLUDE OPPOSITION POLITICIAN DARIUSH FOROUHAR [DAHR-EE-'OOSH 
FOR-OO-'HAHR] AND HIS WIFE PARVANEH [PAHR-VAH-'NAY].  THEY WERE 
FOUND STABBED TO DEATH AT THEIR HOME IN TEHRAN IN NOVEMBER.  MR. 
FOROUHAR WAS THE LEADER OF THE BANNED IRAN NATION PARTY.  HE HAD 
SERVED AS A CABINET MINISTER PRIOR TO THE CONSOLIDATION OF IRAN'S
SHI'ITE MUSLIM CLERICAL REGIME.  THE FOROUHARS HAD LONG BEEN 
SUBJECT TO CLOSE GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE.

    IN THE WEEKS FOLLOWING THE MURDER OF THE FOROUHARS, THREE 
PROMINENT IRANIAN WRITERS WERE FOUND DEAD AFTER THEIR FAMILIES 
REPORTED THEM MISSING UNDER SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.  THEY WERE 
PART OF A GROUP OF GOVERNMENT CRITICS WHO WERE TRYING TO FORM AN 
INDEPENDENT WRITERS UNION.

    THE UNITED STATES VIEWS THE ARRESTS ANNOUNCED BY THE IRANIAN 
GOVERNMENT AS A POSITIVE STEP TOWARD RESPECTING THE RULE OF LAW 
AND PROVIDING FOR THE SECURITY OF IRANIANS TO EXPRESS THEIR 
VIEWS.  AS THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS MAKES CLEAR 
IN ARTICLE NINETEEN, "EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF 
OPINION AND EXPRESSION."  IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY 
GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT CITIZENS CAN ENJOY THIS RIGHT.

ANNCR:

    THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S. 
GOVERNMENT.  IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, 
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A.  YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT 
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR  FAX US AT (202) 
619-1043.

11-Jan-99 1:05 PM EST (1805 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.