Iran: IFJ calls on the Islamic Republic to release all journalists in jail

Six months on from the start of mass protests following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini on 16 September 2022, 15 journalists are still being held behind bars for their coverage of the civil unrest. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Tehran Province Journalists Association (TPJA) in calling on the Iranian authorities to free all journalists and media workers imprisoned, stop the media crackdown and ensure the free flow of information.

A picture taken in Tehran on September 18, 2022 shows the front pages of Iranian newspapers featuring articles and photographs of Mahsa Amini. Credit: Atta Kenare / AFP

Journalist Seyed Ali Poortabatabaei, working for Qom News website, was arrested by Iranian security forces on 5 March in Qom, in southern Tehran. He was one of the first journalists who reported on the recent intensification of gas attacks on schoolgirls, with hundreds being poisoned across the country in early March. Since November 2022, when the first poisoning attack took place in Qom, thousands of students have been targeted by toxic gas attacks across Iran, according to media reports.  

Poortabatabaei is the latest journalist to be detained, bringing the number of media workers held behind bars to 15 since the outbreak of the mass protests. Another 62 journalists have been held in relation to the demonstrations and have subsequently been released, most of them on bail, pending trial. While the arrests continue, the sentences are raining down on those on trial, with extremely heavy penalties ranging from one year to 18 years in prison. Other sentences include community service, lashes, exit restrictions and bans on working as a journalist.

According to the Tehran Province Journalists Association (TPJA), more than a hundred journalists have been arrested, jailed or summoned during the past six months. 

The crackdown on the media continues. Growing censorship and ongoing internet shutdowns have been used repeatedly by the regime to silence news coverage of the protests. One of the latest examples took place on 7 March, when the Iranian judiciary announced that criminal charges were being filed against three reformist media: Hammihan newspaper, Shargh newspaper and Rouydad24 website for their coverage of the recent wave of gas attacks on schoolgirls. According to media reports, some pupils and parents suggested that schoolgirls may have been targeted for taking part in recent anti-government protests. The government has not said whether it believes they are premeditated.

The TPJA, an IFJ affiliate, sent an open letter to the head of the judiciary in Iran, asking him to release all imprisoned journalists, before the beginning of the new year and holiday season in Iran, starting on 21 March. “These journalists were merely carrying out their professional duties by informing their media [about unfolding events] and did not commit any wrongdoing to deserve such extreme severity", the letter reads.

In particular, TPJA calls for the release of journalists Niloofar Hamedi, who reported from the hospital where Mahsa Amini was admitted before she was pronounced dead, and Elahe Mohammadi, who covered Amini’s funeral. Both women journalists  have been accused of spying by the Iranian authorities and have been held in prison since October 2022. 

The letter notes: “During the past months, some institutions and ordinary individuals who have no judicial responsibility have created heavy publicity against the two journalists [Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi] and have condemned them, even before issuing the indictment.”

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: "We remind once again the Iranian authorities of their international obligations towards human rights and freedom of speech, which all Iranian citizens should enjoy, including journalists. We urge them to immediately release all journalists and media workers who are held behind bars for simply doing their job."

 

Journalists in jail since the start of the protests

1- Mrs Nilofar Hamedi, a journalist and reporter at Shargh newspaper, was arrested at her home in Tehran on September 22 2022.

2- Mrs Elahe Mohammadi, a journalist and reporter at Hammihan newspaper, was arrested on September 23 at her home in Tehran.

3- Mr Alireza Jabari Darestani, Journalist at Mehr news agency, was arrested on September 25 in Tehran.

4- Mr Iman Beh Pasand, a freelance journalist, was arrested on September 22 at his home in Tehran.

5- Mrs Vida Rabani, a freelance journalist at Shargh newspaper, was arrested on September 24 at her home in Tehran.

6- Mrs Maliheh Daraki, a freelance photojournalist in Shiraz city, was arrested on October 26 while covering a protest in Abadan city.

7- Mrs Farzaneh Yahya Abadi, a local freelance journalist in Abadan city, was arrested at her workplace on October 19.

8- Mrs Farkhondeh Ashoori, a Freelance journalist and former reporter at Fars news agency, was arrested on October 17 in Shiraz city.

9- Mr Hashem Moazen Zadeh, a freelance journalist, was arrested on September 23 in Tehran.

10- Mrs Ziba Omidifar, a journalist at Kurdpress, she was arrested on December 8.

11- Mrs Maral Dar Afarin, a local journalist in Gilan province, was arrested on November 1.

12- Mrs Melika Hashemi, a freelance journalist, was arrested on January 21 after being summoned to court.

13- Mr Amir Maskani, editor-in-chief of Sabzevar e Emrooz magazine, was arrested on November 22 in Sabzevar city.

14- Mr Siamand Mohtadi, a freelance journalist, was arrested on February 13 in Bukan city.

15- Mr Seyed Ali Poortabatabaei, a journalist at the Qom News website, was arrested on March 5 in Qom city.

Journalists who were in jail before the start of the protests

16- Mr Morteza Haghbaian, a freelance journalist who was arrested on May 19 2022, has been sentenced to a two-year and six months jail sentence.

 Journalists arrested during the protest but released afterwards.

1- Mr Khosro Kordpur, a journalist at Mukrian news agency, was arrested on September 20 and released after one week.

2- Mrs Batool Balali, a Kerman Farda news website journalist, was arrested on September 22 and released on bail on October 1.

3 - Mr Shahram Azmoude, editor-in-chief of Talesh magazine, was arrested on October 1 and released on bail on October 3.

4 - Mrs Safieh Gharebaghi, a freelance journalist at Zanjan city, was arrested on October 1 and released on bail on October 8.

5 - Mr Ali Salem, the Shargh newspaper journalist, was arrested on October 3 and released on October 21.

6 - Mr Alborz Nezami, a journalist at Donaye Eghtesad newspapers, was arrested on October 2 at his home and released one week later.

7- Mr Ahamd Halabi Saz, a freelance news photographer, was arrested on September 25 but has since been released.

8- Mrs Bahar Aslani, a freelance photographer, was arrested on September 26 and released on bail weeks later.

9- Mrs Fatemeh Rajabi, Haft Sobh newspaper and Boursan website journalist, was arrested on September 22 and released on bail.

10- Mr Fardin Kamangar, a veteran journalist at Sanandaj city, was arrested on October 6 and released on bail.

11- Mr Jabar Dastbaz, a reporter at the Roudav website, was arrested on September 25 and released on bail.

12- Mrs Samira Alinejad, a journalist at the Kerman e No news website, was arrested on September 22 in Sirjan and released on bail.

13- Mrs Maryam Mazrooei, a freelance photojournalist, was arrested on October 5 and released on October 24.

14- Mr Kianoosh Sanjari, a former VOA journalist, was arrested on November 13 and released on November 16.

15 - Mr Sivash Soleimani, a veteran journalist at Urmia city, was arrested on October 1 and released on bail one month later.

16- Mr Vahid Shamsoldinnejad, the Arte news channel journalist, was arrested on September 28 and released on November 22 on bail.

17- Mr Navid Jamshidi, editor in chief at Asia news website, was arrested on September 24 and released on November 23 on bail.

18- Mr Pejman Rahbar, editor-in-chief of the Varzesh3 sports website, was arrested on November 24 and released on the same day.

19- Mr Mojtaba Rahimi, a freelance journalist, was arrested on September 23 and released on November 23 on bail.

20- Mr Mohammad Ramezani, a photojournalist at ISNA news agency in Khaf city, was arrested on October 12 and released on bail on October 23.

21- Mr Saman Ghazali, the freelance environment journalist, was arrested on September 25 in Mahabad city and released on bail on November 23.

22- Mrs Somayeh Masroor, the Ilna news agency reporter, was arrested on October 8 in Isfahan city and released on bail several days later.

23- Mr Vahid Shadman, a freelance news photographer, was arrested on October 27 and released a couple of days later.

24- Mrs Nastaran Farokheh, a journalist at Shargh newspaper, was arrested on November 27 in her home and released on December 5.

25- Mr Mahdi Amirpour, a sports journalist, was arrested on November 27 at his home by the Ministry of Intelligence and released on December 6.

26- Mr Adel Karimi, Photojournalist at Haje Kurdistan news website, was arrested on October 11 at his home and released on December 4.

27- Mr Farshid Ghorbanpour, Journalist at Haft Sobh newspaper, was arrested on September 25 in Tehran and released on December 7.

28- Mrs Saide Fathi, a freelance Sports journalist, was arrested on October 16 at her home in Tehran and released on December 9.

29- Mr Yaghma Fakhshami, a freelance journalist, was arrested after being summoned to the Intelligence Ministry on November 2 and released on December 10.

30- Mr Hossein Esmaeili, a freelance photojournalist in Sabzevar city, was arrested on October 12 and released on December 12.

31-  Mr Reza Asadabadi, a labour journalist at ILNA news agency, was arrested on November 23 in his house and released on December 27.

32- Mr Alireza Khoshbakht, a freelance journalist, was arrested on September 23 on the streets of Tehran and released on December 25.

33- Mrs Marzieh Amiri, a journalist at Shargh newspaper, was arrested on October 31 and released on December 17.

34- Mrs Maryam Vahidian, a labour area journalist at ILNA news agency, was arrested on November 27 at her birthday party.

35- Mrs Yalda Moayeri, freelance news photographer and award-winning photographer, was arrested in Tehran on September 21 and released on December 20.

36- Mr Roholah Zarin, a freelance journalist in Kurdistan, was arrested on January 5 and released on January 8.

37- Mrs Nazila Maroofian, a journalist at the Dideban Iran website and Rouydad24 website, was arrested on October 30 in Tehran and released on January 9.

38- Mr Mehdi Beik, a journalist at Etemad newspaper, he arrested on January 5 and released on January 10.

39- Mrs Maryam Ghanad, a journalist at the Irna news agency, was arrested on December 11 and released on January 11.

40- Mr Omid Tahan Bidhendi, a freelance journalist and former reporter for Mehr news agency, was arrested on October 4 in Tehran and released on January 11.

41- Mrs Mehrnoush Tafian, a local freelance journalist in Abadan city, was arrested on September 28 in Ahwaz city and released on January 12.

42- Mr Milad Alavi, a Shargh newspaper journalist, was arrested on January 1 and released on January 16.

43- Mr Rouholah Nakhaei, a freelance journalist, was arrested on September 23 on the streets of Tehran and released on January 16.

44- 23- Mr Payam Khodabandelou, a freelance journalist, was arrested on September 21 in Hamedan city.

45- Mr Omid Hormozi, a sports journalist, was arrested on November 5.

46- Mrs Mandana Sadeghi, a local freelance journalist in Abadan city, was arrested with her husband on October 19 in Abadan.

47- Fahimeh Nazari, a journalist at Entekhab news website, was arrested on November 13 in her workplace in Tehran.

48- Mrs Nasrin Hassani, a journalist at Etefaghieh magazine, was arrested on September 30 in Bojnourd city.

49- Mr Mehdi Ghadimi, a freelance journalist, was arrested on January 1 2023.

50- Mr Sajad Rahmani, a local freelance journalist in Gilan province, was arrested on November 29.

51- Mr Milad Bidarigh, a local journalist in Gilan province, time of his arrested unknown.

52- Mr Esmaeil Khesri, a local journalist in Kurdistan province, was arrested in Urumieh city on November 12.

53- Mrs Nasim Sultan Beigi, a freelance journalist, was arrested on January 12 at Tehran international airport.

54 - Mr Arya Jafari, a photojournalist at the ISNA news agency in the Isfahan branch, was arrested on September 25 and released on February 6.

55- Mrs Saeedeh Shafiei, a freelance journalist, was arrested on January 22 at her home in Tehran.

56- Mr Ehsan Pirbarnash, a freelance sports journalist and Humor columnist, was arrested on October 27 in Tehran and released on February 8.

57- Mr Kamyar Fakour, a Khabaronline journalist, was arrested on November 6 and released on February 9.

58- Mrs Raha Askarizadeh, journalist and photojournalist, was arrested on September 3 and released on February 9.

59 - Mrs Elnaz Mohammadi, a journalist and reporter at Hammihan newspaper, was arrested on February 5 in Teheran

60- Mr Masoud Kordpur, editor-in-chief at Mukrian news agency, was arrested on September 22 on the street of Bukan city.

61- Mrs Mehrnoush Zarei, a freelance journalist, was arrested on January 22 at her home.

62- Mr Ahmad Gholami Mehrabadi, media graphist, was arrested on December 5 and released on bail on February 2

For more information, please contact IFJ on +32 2 235 22 16

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