E/CN.4/2000/9 page 119 that any torture or ill-treatment by the authorities of the Baucau military airport took place in relation to any of the men, including Marcus Belo. Observations 605. The Special Rapporteur participated in a joint mission to East Timor together with the Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial, arbitrary or summary executions, and on violence against women, its causes and consequences, in November 1999. The report of the mission is contained in document E/CN.4/2000/115. The Special Rapporteur recognizes that Indonesia's political system has undergone a profound transformation. He hopes that, eventually, its new Government will be in a position to give favourable consideration to his longstanding request to visit the country. Iran (Islamic Republic of) Urgent appeals and replies received 606. On 1 February 1999, the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal on behalf of Amir Farshad Ebrahimi, Kiyanoush Mouaffari and Babk Shahrestani. They had reportedly been recently sentenced by a court to flogging in connection with an assault in August 1998 on two senior members of the President's Cabinet. Amir Farshad Ebrahimi had reportedly been sentenced to 40 lashes and 18 months' imprisonment, while the two others had been sentenced to 20 lashes and 6 months' imprisonment. 607. By letter dated 3 November 1999, the Government indicated that in accordance with articles 25, 29 and 32 of the Islamic Penal Code, the lashes sentences had been suspended for three years. 608. On 12 July 1999, the Special Rapporteur sent a joint urgent appeal with the Special Representative on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression on behalf of Hechmatollah Tabarzadi and Hossein Kachani, both journalists of the weekly publication, the Hovizat-Ú-Khich, which has since reportedly been banned. These journalists had reportedly been arrested on 16 and 19 June 1999, respectively, and were detained at the Evin prison. The authorities have indicated that the two journalists were reportedly arrested for publishing information "contrary to public order and public interest" and "issuing an anti-establishment communiqué". They were reportedly been interrogated at the Intelligence Ministry, where people have allegedly been tortured. A week after their arrest, they were reportedly transferred to an unknown detention centre. On 6 July 1999, a number of students and others reportedly protesting the detention of the above-mentioned individuals at the United Nations office in Tehran were themselves arrested. The Government reportedly suspended the publication of a leading moderate newspaper, Salam, the same day that the Majilis passed a new law which in principle restricts freedom of the press. The night editor of Salam, Morad Raisi (Veissi), was reportedly detained on 7 July 1999. 609. On 23 July 1999, the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal on behalf of a large number of students arrested following the demonstrations against new laws allegedly curbing press freedom in Tehran, Shiraz, Rasht, Esfahan, Mashhad and Tabriz. Serious clashes between student demonstrators, security forces and unofficial vigilante groups reportedly followed these demonstrations, and a