Journalists Federation: Iranian Government is a 'Suppressor of Press Freedom'

Anthony Blanger, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), described the Iranian government as a 'suppressor of press freedom' in an exclusive interview with the Persian section of Voice of America, urging foreign journalists to be 'as cautious as possible' when traveling to countries like Iran. Following the news of the release and return of Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist, to her home country on Wednesday, January 19, Blanger told Voice of America: 'When a journalist is arrested, the impact on public opinion and the involved governments is much greater than when an ordinary citizen is detained.' Cecilia Sala, a 29-year-old Italian citizen who collaborates with the newspaper 'Il Folibo' and 'Chura Media', was arrested by the Iranian intelligence forces on December 20 of this year. Ms. Sala had officially traveled to Iran with a journalist visa and had published reports on recent developments in Iran following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. According to reports, the reason for Ms. Sala's arrest was cited as 'violating the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran.' The Secretary-General of the International Federation of Journalists noted that after the arrest of Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi in Milan in December of last year, a group of Iranians in Italy warned the public of that country to avoid traveling to Iran to prevent 'being taken hostage' - a 'retaliatory action' that is common in the Islamic Republic of Iran. He stated: 'Western countries are aware of this, as some of their citizens have been arrested for conducting business in Iran, but Cecilia Sala was already in Iran and accessible to the authorities there.' He added: 'The charges against this journalist have been vague.' Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, 38, was arrested in Milan three days before Ms. Sala's detention by Iranian government forces on December 23. Prior to him, Mehdi Mohammadsadeghi, a 42-year-old dual Iranian-American citizen, was arrested in Massachusetts, United States, on charges related to the deadly drone attack on American soldiers in Jordan on February 8 of last year. Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, who owns a company in Iran that has relations with the government, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, acquired an American-made part through Mehdi Mohammadsadeghi, who worked at the manufacturing company of that part, via a shell company in Europe. Mehdi Mohammadsadeghi and Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi are accused of violating export controls, and Abedini Najafabadi is separately charged with conspiracy to materially support the Iranian government. According to prosecutors, Mohammadsadeghi could face 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a one million dollar fine if convicted. Abedini Najafabadi could face life imprisonment if convicted. In the drone attack on February 8 of last year, three American soldiers were killed, and 47 others were injured. The Secretary-General of the International Federation of Journalists emphasized in another part of the interview with Voice of America that there is no guarantee for the safety of journalists in Iran, while the safety of journalists is guaranteed in many countries around the world. He referred to the Iranian government as a 'hunter of press freedom' and stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran is not interested in foreigners entering its territory and often accuses them of espionage, which has serious consequences. Mr. Blanger added: 'From the perspective of the International Federation of Journalists, we advise all our colleagues to be as cautious as possible when visiting such countries, as a report is not worth a life, even if journalism can illuminate the darker aspects of our planet.' The Secretary-General of the International Federation of Journalists, in this conversation, pointed out the pressure from governments, including the Iranian government, on journalists, stating that the working conditions for journalists vary from region to region and from country to country. However, overall, working conditions around the world, even in so-called democratic countries, have worsened. He also discussed the situation of journalists in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia, stating that they receive low wages, and on one hand, they are targeted for attack and harassment on social media, and on the other hand, they can even be imprisoned or killed. Meanwhile, in the latest incident involving journalists in Iran, Mehrdad Aladin, a reporter and documentary filmmaker, was arrested on Tuesday, January 8, in Tehran. He, who has a history of collaboration with various media outlets, was summoned to Evin Prosecutor's Office and was arrested after his arrival. Mehrdad Aladin is the brother of Kourosh Aladin, a colleague in the Persian section of Voice of America. Reporters Without Borders has assessed the Islamic Republic as 'one of the most repressive governments in the world' in the field of media freedom and has classified Iran as 176th in terms of freedom of expression among 180 countries in its report. According to this organization, in terms of media freedom, only North Korea, Afghanistan, Syria, and Eritrea have a worse situation than Iran.