Iran Students Urge Free Speech, Elections

In a sign of Iran’s increasingly outspoken opposition, a powerful students’ association has called on the president to guarantee free speech and free elections before leaving office next year.

The Islamic Students Society asked President Hashemi Rafsanjani to ensure that journalists and writers are not imprisoned or punished for their ideas, the newspaper Iran reported Sunday.

“Mr. President, before the end of your term make arrangements so that the freedom and security of the press will be guaranteed,” the newspaper quoted a statement as saying.