Shajarian has not been arrested or subpoenaed: Attorney

TEHRAN, Nov. 18 (Mehr News Agency) -- Mohammadreza Shajarian's attorney has denied all the rumors claiming his client has been arrested or subpoenaed.

Shajarian recently sued to stop the pro-Ahmadinejad Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) from broadcasting his music. He also sued the hardline Persian daily Kayhan for calling him a "stooge of colonialism" and a "traitor" for his interviews with foreign Persian language news agencies.

On Monday, certain Persian news websites published an interview VOA Persian conducted with attorney Mohammad-Hossein Aghasi, in which he announced that the leading Iranian vocalist had been summoned to a building on Jordan Street in Tehran upon his arrival at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport after his recent European concert tour in September.

According to the interview, Shajarian appeared in the building, participating in a 'dialogue' that lasted over two hours. Aghasi said that the dialogue was about the Shajarian's interview with the VOA Persian in September but declined to give any further details.

Meanwhile, in an interview with the Persian service of ISNA on Tuesday, Aghasi denied all the reports claiming Shajarian had been summoned or his arrest.

"My client was given an invitation (sic) at the airport to appear at the Passport Office of the President and he went to that office on Monday of last week," Aghasi said.

"My client was treated politely at the Passport Office, so the visit can be considered a debriefing," he added.

He said that Shajarian has not been forbidden from traveling abroad.

In September, when Shajarian was in Europe for his concert tour, he took part in an interview with VOA Persian, criticizing the Iranian government for the events in the aftermath of the June 12 presidential election.

Over the past few months, Iranian cineastes Jafar Panahi, Fatemeh Motamed-Arya, and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb have been prevented from traveling abroad for making similar reasons.

Asked about the fate of the cineastes in a radio program, Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hosseini said, "Such persons can be granted immunity due to their art and position."

"If someone doesn't perform his duties well as a citizen, the law must decide about him/her," he noted.

On November 10, nine guilds affiliated with the Iranian House of Cinema wrote a letter to Hosseini asking him to mediate in the issue of travel restrictions imposed on cineastes.

... Payvand News - 11/19/09 ... --