Journalist Day and 'Symbolic Tribute' to 'Loyal' Journalists; Independent Journalists in Detention or Under Pressure

August 17, which was named Journalist Day following the killing of an IRNA journalist in 1998 along with 8 Iranian diplomats in Afghanistan, has become a day for 'displaying appreciation' by the officials of the Islamic Republic for news activists, while the conditions for independent journalists in Iran have become tougher than ever in the past year. While Niloufar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi, two journalists from domestic media, have been imprisoned for about a year on charges related to their coverage of the death and burial of 'Mahsa Amini', Nazila Maroufian has also been re-arrested. On Monday, August 7, Ebrahim Raisi and several of his ministers went to state television and praised the journalists of this governmental institution. Akbar Montajebi, a journalist and editor-in-chief of the 'Sazandegi' newspaper, wrote in a note titled 'A Hard Year': 'Journalists are not enemies. Those who remain and keep the window of freedom-seeking open are not enemies; they are part of the people. Journalists show the pain. Yes, reflecting pain has its own pain. But the officials themselves have been the source of this pain and suffering, not journalists.' The 'Ham-Mihan' newspaper also dedicated its front page on August 17 to an image of Elaheh Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi, writing in a note titled 'Journalists More Alone Than Ever': 'Journalism these days has become more difficult and harmful and a dangerous profession. The difficulty of a journalist's work relates to the conditions of society, and in a society where nothing is in its place, we face a multitude of problems in every field, and people are dissatisfied from every side. However, to write their pain, we must pay attention to every single word so that our reporting does not create issues.' Khabar Online also published an article by Jalal Khushchehreh stating: 'The situation for media has become so difficult that now managers are torn between two options: whether to defend the profession and responsibilities associated with media work, or to defend their staff who face sudden harms due to performing their professional duties.' He added: 'Journalist Day is an opportunity for usual courtesies and saying grand statements about the journalist's position as a beacon of light in darkness and such pompous speeches, but the political system needs to provide a clear definition of the position and status of the media because outdated thoughts will sooner or later find out that in the present time, differences cannot be recognized indefinitely and constantly opposed.' Asadollah Amraei, a journalist, also tweeted: 'You should congratulate Journalist Day when no journalist is in prison.' Niloufar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi were arrested ten months ago after the publication of supplementary reports about Mahsa Amini's death by the Islamic Republic's security apparatus. After months of delays, they have recently been tried in two court sessions and are awaiting the court's verdict. The spokesperson for the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran claimed on Tuesday, August 1, regarding their case that the charges against these two journalists have nothing to do with the report of Ms. Mahsa Amini's death and their profession as journalists, stating that Niloufar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi had collaborated with the United States. Previously, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department denied the claim of these journalists' collaboration with the U.S., calling it 'baseless and incorrect.' According to media rights organizations, at least 95 journalists have been detained in Iran since September 2022, of which at least 24 of these detained journalists are women. Thus, Iran has now become the largest prison for journalists and female journalists in the world. A journalist residing in Iran previously told Voice of America that 'pressures on the media in Iran have intensified significantly' and the Islamic Republic's expectation from the media is 'to produce propaganda bulletins' and 'critical analyses' are pressured under vague titles like 'blackening'.