World press on Iran, Turkey and the Caucasus (April 13, 2012)

The Guardian published an article devoted to the situation surrounding human rights in Iran, where another human rights activist has been sentenced to jail recently. Mansoureh Behkish has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison. Behkish is reported to have been convicted of "gathering and colluding with intent to harm national security by establishing the Mourning Mothers group," and six months' imprisonment for "propaganda against the system". Behkish was arrested in June 2011 and taken to Tehran's notorious Evin prison.

Hurriyet published an article by Mehmet Ali Birand headlined 'A February 28 trial was a necessity'.  "This case was necessary. If we were going to try those involved in the September 12 coup, then we cannot disregard February 28. This was a necessary step," Birand says. "Cases like this one are symbolic. They are not to be used for taking revenge; they should not be. They are important to demonstrate the general stance of a country. They are used to send a message for the future. If the scope of the case expands and civilians become implicated in it, then nothing can be achieved," he believes.

The Moscow Times published an article entitled 'How Moscow Is Helping to Solve the Iran Problem'. "Though news reports generally give a very different impression, Russia is actually playing a constructive role in dealing with the multifaceted issue of Iran's nuclear program," the author of the article, Avi Jorisch, believes. "One hint came last month, when Russia's second-largest financial institution (VTB 24) closed the accounts of Iran's embassy in Moscow. While given little attention by the media on either side of the Atlantic, this move signals the Kremlin's willingness to confront Iran on its march toward nuclearization".