Lebanon: Festival urged not to show Iranian protest film

State censors in Lebanon have asked Beirut International Film Festival not to show an Iranian opposition film during a visit from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Originally scheduled for screening on 13 October, the day of Ahmadinejad’s arrival, the film “Green Days” documents violent protests in Iran following last year’s disputed elections. Director Hana Makhamalbaf is the daughter of Mohsen Makhamalbaf, who is close to opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.

EU calls for Iran to end jamming of foreign media

EU foreign ministers have described the current situation in Iran as “unacceptable”, in a joint statement they call for an end to the jamming of satellite broadcasts  from international news networks.  In the crackdown since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election, dozens of journalists and campaigners have been arrested, including Ali Kanturi, a young student activist who fled Iran and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in his absence, and journalist Emadeddin Baghi who has been detailed by the Iranian authorities. See the “Our Society Will Be a Free Society” campaign for more information.

Iran admits protesters were tortured

Iran’s police chief, Ismail Ahmadi Moghaddam, has acknowledged that protesters detained in post-election unrest were tortured in custody, but says the deaths of detainees were caused by illness, not torture. The police commander has fired the head of a detention facility that was ordered closed last month. Three guards at the Kahrizak prison have also been detained on charges of mistreating prisoners. Read more here