Detention of Iranian Dissidents Admitted

TEHRAN, 28 April 2004 — Iran’s President Mohammad Khatami admitted yesterday that several dissidents are held in Iranian jails, the students’ news agency ISNA reported. “We have definitely political prisoners who are in jail just for their political beliefs,” Khatami said in a gathering with Iranian youth in Tehran. Khatami had been criticized for claiming that there were no political prisoners in Iran. “I have never said that and I have always harshly protested against keeping political prisoners,” he said.