Iran: IFJ hosts meeting of Iranian journalists working in Europe

The International Federation of Journalists today hosted in Brussels the first meeting of Iranian journalists based in Europe to identify common concerns and develop joint actions in the future. The IFJ is fully committed to helping and developing new journalists’ unions and associations to address current challenges that Iranian journalists face both abroad and inside the country.

The International Federation of Journalists today hosted in Brussels the first meeting of Iranian journalists based in Europe to identify common concerns and develop joint actions in the future. The IFJ is fully committed to helping and developing new journalists’ unions and associations to address current challenges that Iranian journalists face both abroad and inside the country. 12 Iranian journalists who work in different European countries gathered today at IFJ Brussels headquarters to debate their working situation in Europe and the state of journalism in Iran. With this meeting, the IFJ seeks to improve networking among Iranian journalists and help them to unionise to have a stronger voice to highlight internationally their situation. Participants identified labour rights, censorship and freelances’ rights, among others, as the main challenges they are facing nowadays. After the debate, the IFJ pledged to work with the national affiliates to address the situation of Iranian journalists as urgently as possible. Iran is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a journalist. The IFJ has repeatedly asked Iranian government to be allowed to visit the country to know the situation on the ground, but has never received an answer. The IFJ has denounced several attacks on media freedom in Iran, including the strongly condemnation of a recent court ruling against journalist Amir Hossein Miresmaeili, who was sentenced 10 years of prison for expressing critical views on the government and the permanent harassment to BBC Persian Service journalists. IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger has said: “The situation of Iranian journalists is a major cause for concern for us. This first meeting with Iranian journalists has helped us understand current challenges and concrete situations that we’ll address together. The IFJ will always support Iranian journalism”.

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The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 146 countries

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