Watchdog

TEHRAN -- The father of a student activist jailed more than two weeks ago has told Radio Farda that he is concerned about his son's condition following a disturbing meeting with the young man.

The detainee, Alireza Davoudi, was jailed after participating in peaceful student protests and press activities in the central Iranian city of Isfahan.

Davoudi's father said his son was shaking, could barely stand, had bruises on his face, and appeared to be under severe strain during their five-minute meeting in the courtyard of the jail.

Davoudi was detained at his home, and reportedly faces security charges.

The weekly newspaper "Taszharghan" has been ordered by an Almaty court to pay a $200,000 fine for libel, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.

The city court on February 26 upheld a previous verdict by a district court that found the opposition paper and journalist Almaz Kusherbaev guilty of libel, but decided to increase the fine from 300,000 tenges to 3 million tenges ($200,000).

Kazakh parliament member Romin Madinov had accused "Taszharghan" of insulting his dignity in December.

The newspaper has had to change its name several times and reregister after receiving similar verdicts in the past.

Yermurat Bapi, former editor in chief and currently "reader in chief" of "Taszharghan," told RFE/RL's Kazakh Service that the verdict is politically motivated.