Two Kurdish journalists who have condemned in Iran, have been awarded a prestigious Italian prize for freedom of the press. Adnan Hassanpour and Khalil Boutimar were awarded in Siena’s Town Hall, and recognized for their insistence on publishing the controversial Kurdish-Farsi news magazine _Asu’ which was shut down by Iranian authorities in 2005 and later condemned to death. Boutimar is an environmental activist, and Hassanpour is an advocate for cultural rights of Iranian Kurds. Two Italian rights groups, Article 21 and ISF (Information, Safety, and Freedom) petitioned the Italian government to intervene on their behalf.
