Newspaper Banned; Publisher Suspended

The liberal newspaper Salam, a staunch backer of Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, has been banned for five years, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported. It said the Special Court for Clergy also suspended the publisher, Mohammed Moussavi Khoeini, from working as a managing director of a newspaper for three years. He was convicted last week of defamation and spreading false information. Salam was shut down July 7 after it published a secret document of the Iranian Intelligence Ministry outlining moves to curb press freedom. The subsequent closure of Salam and new press restrictions led to protests by university students.