Shah promises freedom

Press, 7 August 1978, Page 9

Shah promises freedom

INZPA’-Reu'er Teheran. The Shah of Iran has aninounced his personal comimitment to hold free elec-i i tions and liberalise political' llife within the law. i The Shah said in a broadleast that Iran would have, ithe same freedom as demo|cratic countries, though we; ! named no particular country, j j “We will give political' !freedom as in the democrat-! He countries, and as in the ! democratic countries, the! i limits of this freedom will ' be fixed . . the Shah said lin a speech to mark the anIniversary of the establishIment of constitutional I monarchy in 1906. ! The Shah said there would be no big changes in the political process before natitnal ’.ectic..s far the Majlis (Assembly), due next June. But he confirmed that laws would be passed to govern freedom of political meetings and the press, as already announced by the G 'ernment. These would include f edom of assembly. But political meetings would have to be peaceful, no! firearms should be carried,! and official permission! should ue obtained first, he' said. The press, now guided by the Government on national interests, would be free, but “slander and falsehood will be dealt with according to the law,” he said. “The Shah said that Opposition groups, already enjoy- i ing an unprecedented degree of freedom to criticise the Government, would be . allowed to express their views. ; They are expected to be allot jd to r„n as Independents in next year’s elec- ] tions. i