World Press on Iran, Turkey and the Caucasus (September 29, 2011)

The Washington Post reported that the lawyer of an Iranian pastor sentenced to death for apostasy is hopeful an appeals court will acquit his client. Attorney Mohammad Ali Dadkhah says he believes in a “95 percent chance” of acquittal for 32-year-old Yusuf Naderkhani. Naderkhani turned to Christianity when he was 19 and later became a pastor in the northern Iranian city of Rasht. He was convicted of apostasy in 2010 and remains in prison in Rasht. Dadkhah told The Associated Press on Thursday that he has appeared before the appeals court over the past four days and expects a ruling by the end of next week. He says neither Iranian law nor clerics have ever stipulated the death penalty as punishment for converting from Islam to Christianity.

Meanwhile, The New York Times published the article headlined “Iran: Lawyer for Hikers Is Arrested.” It says that Security forces on Tuesday raided the home of the lawyer who had represented the American hikers who were released last week, and they briefly detained him at Evin Prison in Tehran, where the hikers were held for 781 days. “It was strange to see an arrest warrant issued for me, as arrest warrants are usually issued for murderers or fugitives,” the lawyer, Masoud Shafiei, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran a few hours after his release. Mr. Shafiei said the officers took his passport and a computer and documents from his office before returning them. Much of his interrogation, he added, concerned the two Americans, Joshua F. Fattal and Shane M. Bauer, who were sharply critical of the Iranian government after their release.

“Turkish minister demands Russia slash gas prices” is an article published by the Turkish information agency Hurriyet. It says that Turkey demanded a reduction in prices for natural gas transferred via the Western Line pipeline, Turkey’s energy minister said during a conversation with journalists on Thursday. "We asked for a reduction in the price of natural gas that we import from Russia via the Western Line," Minister Taner Yıldız said. "And if Russia does not respond to our demand, we will end the contract." The contract between Turkey and Russia will expire at the end of 2011.

The Iranian Press TV reported that Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is planning to hold the 9th International Imam Reza (PBUH) Festival in different countries. The 9th Imam Reza International Festival is slated to be started simultaneously across the globe on September 29, 2011, said Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hosseini.  The event will present more than 200,000 artworks, including calligraphies, paintings and abstract art works, as well as poetry inspired by the life and teachings of the holy Imam. The festival will also showcase computer software, movies and books during a ten-day program.