The spokesperson for the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced the summoning of one hundred individuals, the formation of cases against two Telegram channels, and the identification of 500 Instagram accounts during the elections, which he claimed had committed "electoral violations." Asghar Jahangir stated on Tuesday, July 9, without mentioning the names of the two Telegram channels or providing details about the hundreds of identified Instagram accounts, that they "attempted to discourage people from participating in the elections." The Press Supervisory Board had warned ahead of the 14th presidential elections that "the publication and promotion of signs of election boycotts" are considered criminal content that does not require a private complainant. The lack of need for a private complainant means that the public prosecutor can file charges against individuals and media deemed "violators" either directly or based on the opinion of the working group determining the criteria for criminal content. The spokesperson further added: "A total of 3,980 individuals who committed electoral violations were legally guided and advised. 100 individuals were summoned, and necessary warnings were given to prevent the continuation of illegal behavior." He also reported the arrest of 113 individuals whom he labeled as "criminals" during the second phase of the presidential elections, but stated that "most of them were temporarily released on the same day after providing guarantees, bail, and appropriate security." Following the death of Ebrahim Raisi, the former president of Iran, and his entourage in a helicopter crash on May 30 this year, early presidential elections were held in the country. After his death, the judiciary also arrested or summoned a number of citizens for their positions regarding this incident. During the elections, the judiciary filed charges against two media outlets, "Hashiyeh News" and "Bamdad-e-No," due to their coverage of the elections and what it termed "the dissemination of false news regarding the elections."
Judiciary Reports Summoning of 100 Social Media Activists in Connection with Elections
The Iranian judiciary has summoned 100 social media activists and identified numerous accounts for allegedly discouraging electoral participation. This crackdown coincides with the early presidential elections following the death of former president Ebrahim Raisi. The situation highlights ongoing governmental repression and the challenges to free expression in Iran.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Iranian judiciary has summoned 100 social media activists and identified numerous accounts for allegedly discouraging electoral participation during the early presidential elections following the death of former president Ebrahim Raisi.
- 100 individuals were summoned for alleged electoral violations.
- Two Telegram channels and 500 Instagram accounts were identified for discouraging election participation.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran's political landscape is tightly controlled, with the judiciary playing a key role in suppressing dissent and managing public perception during elections.
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