An Iranian journalist who has been in jail since his country's
disputed presidential elections in mid-2009 and has campaigned for
greater civil rights has
<"http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=31317&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">won
a prestigious United Nations prize dedicated to promoting press
freedom.
An independent jury of 12 media professionals from around the globe
chose Ahmad Zeidabadi as the laureate of this year's
<"http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/freedom-of-expression/press-freedom/unesco-world-press-freedom-prize/about-world-press-freedom-prize/">Guillermo
Cano World Press Freedom Prize, the UN Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reported today.
Announcing the decision, jury president Diana Senghor said that the
choice of Mr. Zeidabadi "pays a tribute to his exceptional courage,
resistance and commitment to freedom of expression, democracy, human
rights, tolerance, and humanity. Beyond him, also the prize will award
the numerous Iranian journalists who are currently jailed."
Irina Bokova, the Director-General, called on Iranian authorities to
release Mr. Zeidabadi, who is currently serving a sentence of six
years in jail, to be followed by five years of internal exile and a
life ban from working as a journalist. He had been charged with
plotting to overthrow the Government with a "soft revolution."
"Throughout his career Ahmad Zeidabadi has courageously and
unceasingly spoken out for press freedom and freedom of expression,
which is a fundamental human right that underpins all other civil
liberties, a key ingredient of tolerant and open societies and vital
for the rule of law and democratic governance," Ms. Bokova said.
At least 26 other journalists remain in prison following a wave of
arrests in the aftermath of Iran's disputed presidential election in
June 2009, UNESCO said.
Mr. Zeidabadi is a former editor-in-chief of <I>Azad</I> newspaper and
a contributor to <I>Hamshahari</I>, the BBC's Persian-language service
and the Persian/English news website Rooz. He is also a professor of
political science. Since 2000 he has been frequently jailed because of
his work.
The UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was created by the
UN agency in 1997 to honour the work of an individual or organization
defending or promoting freedom of expression, especially if this
action puts the individual's life at risk. Laureates receive a $25,000
prize.
Mr. Cano was a Colombian newspaper editor who was murdered in front of
his offices in December 1986 by hitmen linked to the country's drug
cartels.
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