Tehran, YJC. Isfahan City Council member says statesmen have to accept the fact that they have to be questionable before media.
Ahamd Ameli, member of Isfahan City Council,
said "What must be first of all accepted by statesmen is the
most conspicuous principle about the press. Officials have to admit to the
right of the press in asking questions.”
"We are seeing that the right to the free release of
information by the press is being neglected,” Ameli said, adding "We have to come to believe in our heart that to answer
the press, is to answer the people who have authorized the statesmen. Democracy
does not come by except with free press.”
The City Council member asserted that the
press which only praise statesmen are traitors to the country and stated "National strength and interests do not come but through
criticism, questioning, and press which are given the right and courage to make
inquiries.”
"Those press whose life depends on financial aid from
state organizations cannot be critical about the state’s weak points and therefore will not be helping national
interests through criticism,” he said.
Calling for attention to freedom of the press
as the way to secure the country’s stability he asserted "If such a view replaces misjudgments and personal views;
and if we replace a free press atmosphere for unnecessary expediency, we will
have taken a significant step in defending national interests.”