Media Persecution

Iran does not enjoy freedom of the press. Reporters without Borders calls Iran “the Middle East’s biggest prison for journalists and bloggers,” with the number of threats, summons, and arrests of reporters increasing under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s watch. Thirteen journalists were jailed in 2005, and what little independent media there is in Iran practice self-censorship to avoid closure. Over the past decade, more than one hundred newspapers have shut their doors. Iran was ranked 166th out of 169 countries in the latest World Press Freedom Index.

Censorship

The press law prohibits censorship but also forbids disseminating information that could potentially harm the reputation of the Islamic republic or prove offensive to its leaders and religious authorities. It also subjects writers to prosecution for “insulting” Islam; an offense that is punishable by death.

In September 2007, deputy interior minister and head of Commission 10 on political parties Ali Reza Afshar announced that “publications and other media outlets are forbidden from writing about parties or political groups that have not obtained a license from Commission 10 on political parties.” This announcement followed other government efforts to limit political debate and the dissemination of information in advance of the 2008 Majles elections.

Persecution of Journalists

In 2007, a number of publishers, editors, and journalists (including those working on Internet sites) were detained, jailed, tortured, and fined, or prohibited from publishing their work. The government imposed significant restrictions on press outlets and banned or blocked some publications that were critical of the government.

In its May report, Freedom House called the press climate in the country “not free”, noting several newspaper closures and the arrests and intimidation of journalists. Reporters Without Borders reported that since September 2006, 73 journalists were arrested and at least 20 media outlets were censored.

According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, on February 27, 2007, authorities arrested French-Iranian filmmaker Mehrnoushe Solouki for “intent to commit propaganda against the regime” after she discovered a mass grave outside Tehran in the course of her research on the burial rites of some religious minorities. After one month in Evin Prison, she was released on bail but at year’s end was not allowed to leave the country.

Foreign Journalists

Foreign journalists face sustained harassment when working in Iran. The government required foreign correspondents to provide detailed travel plans and proposed stories before receiving visas, and some were denied visas.

Students

Student groups report consistent interference with their activities and with student elections and publications.

In September 2007 Tehran prosecutor general Saeed Mortazavi reportedly met with the editors of four reformist newspapers and warned them not to publish articles about the detention of a number of student activists from Amir Kabir University. Mortazavi reportedly showed the editors “evidence” of the charges against the students and also threatened to suspend the newspapers if the editors did not comply.

Following the incident, more than 100 journalists reportedly released a joint statement protesting Mortazavi’s threats.

This follows similar actions in 2006 in which the Ministry of Intelligence and Security and the Ministry of Islamic Culture and Guidance reportedly jointly instructed the semi-official news outlets Iranian Student News Agency and Iranian Labor News Agency not to report on the arrests and prosecution of student activists without coordinating with those ministries.

Publications

The head of the Iranian Journalists Guild Association said that from March 2006-2007, the Press Supervisory Board banned more than 20 publications. Since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became president of the Board in 2005, approximately 42 publications were suspended and 25 printing licenses revoked.

Television and Radio

The government, through a state-controlled entity called the Voice and Vision Organization, maintains a monopoly over all television and radio broadcasts and their facilities. Private broadcasters are not allowed and cooperation with private broadcasters is also illegal.

Because newspapers and other print media had a limited circulation outside large cities, radio and television serves as the principal news source for many citizens. Programs on all terrestrial TV and radio must reflect the government’s political and socio-religious ideology.

Satellite dishes, which can receive foreign broadcasts, are illegal and periodically the government carries out raids to confiscate them. The government has also blocked foreign satellite transmissions using powerful jamming signals in the past.

Sources: U.S. Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iran (2007)