Centre for a Democratic Iran
March 2, 2016
The Title of the “Champion of Press Freedom” was awarded to Ahmad Zeidabadi The International Press Institute has announced that it will award the title of the World Champion of Press Freedom of this year to the Iranian journalist and analyst, Ahmad Zeidabadi.
The institute says that the title of the champion of press freedom is awarded to Mr. Zeidabadi because “despite the persecutions and harassments by the authorities, he bravely struggled for freedom of expression, and human rights, and democracy.” The prize is going to be awarded to him before Norooz (New Year) of 1395 (before the 20th of March, 2016) and during the International Congress and the General Assembly of the International Press Institute which will be held in Doha, the capital of Qatar this year. Mr. Zeidabadi was arrested following the controversial elections in 2009 and the first wave of detention of political activists and intellectuals. In that election he supported Mehdi Karoubi, who has been under house arrest since five years ago. The revolutionary court sentenced Ahmad Zeidabadi to 6 years in prison and five years of exile to Gonabad and lifelong deprivation from any kind of political activity and participating in parties and supporting, and interviews and speeches and analysis of the occurrences.
Website: www.cdiran.org | email: info@cdiran.org | Fax: 855-696-6912
Page 1
Centre for a Democratic Iran
March 2, 2016
In August, 2015 Mr. Zeidabadi had a leave to go to Tehran when it was declared that he was released because of the pardon applied to him on the occasion of Eid-e-Fetr (the celebration of the last day of the month Ramadhan in Islam). The main office of the International Press Institute, which has given Mr. Zeidabadi the title of the world champion of press freedom in the present year is located in Vienna, the capital of Austria and since the year 2000, every year, it has been giving the award to the journalists who, in view of the board of judges of the institute, have enshrined the professional principles of journalism often in difficult circumstances and have tried to establish the free flow of information. This institute was established in 1950 and a network of chief editors, and media managers, and prominent journalists of more than 120 countries are members in it. The title of the world champion of the press freedom was awarded to Akbar Ganji, Faraj Sarkouhi and Mashallah Shamsolvaezin in the past years, too.
Website: www.cdiran.org | email: info@cdiran.org | Fax: 855-696-6912
Page 2