New Government Restrictions Ahead of Elections: Strikes, Sit-ins, Protests, and Encouraging Boycotts are Considered 'Crimes'

The Press Supervisory Board of the Islamic Republic has announced in a directive that publishing content described by this governmental body as encouraging 'boycotting or reducing participation in the 14th presidential election, unauthorized protests, as well as strikes and sit-ins, constitutes criminal content.' According to the directive from the Press Supervisory Board's secretariat, 'any action that disrupts the presidential election process' is considered 'disturbing public opinion, blackening the image, and stating false information against the country' and is a crime. Reports published in Iranian state media also indicate that this directive recognizes issues such as 'creating divisions among social classes, especially through ethnic and racial issues, publishing any false polling results regarding the elections and presidential candidates' as criminal content. The secretariat of the Press Supervisory Board stated that 'publishing satire' or 'any insulting or defamatory content in cyberspace against the elections' is also introduced as another category of criminal content, and for criminalizing what is termed 'defamation and slander against election candidates,' a private complaint is required. According to this directive, media outlets and social media users 'are not allowed to publish advertisements or content against election candidates or write content indicating the withdrawal of groups or individuals from specific candidates'; otherwise, they will be obliged to publish a response 'as soon as possible.' The punishment for this violation is 'one to three months' suspension of the publication, website, or SMS center and social media, as well as 'up to 74 lashes' for its manager, and if the author is identified, the punishment will also apply to them. The secretariat of the Press Supervisory Board referred to the 'specific conditions prevailing in the country' following the death of Ebrahim Raisi and 'holding early elections.' The citizens' joy over Ebrahim Raisi's death and reactions to the helicopter crash carrying him and his companions, which were mostly humorous, led to a wave of arrests and threats by Islamic Republic officials against users, and the new directive from the Press Supervisory Board indicates that officials are seeking to increase restrictions on freedom of expression in Iran. This directive has been issued at a time when campaigns to boycott the 14th presidential election, scheduled for July 8, are ongoing in cyberspace, with many users calling it a 'circus election' and a 'mock election' and stating that they will not participate. Among them, Mehdi Mohoudian, a human rights activist in Iran, wrote on the social media platform 'X' with the hashtag 'I will not vote': 'The regime has brought all its forces to this absurd show at the Ministry of Interior. I hope all of them are approved so that all supporters and factions of the status quo participate in the elections to show that together they will have 20 percent of the votes.' Nasrin Shakeri, the mother of Nika, a teenager killed during the nationwide protests of 2022, also considered participation in the elections as complicity in the 'crimes of the evil republic' and complicity in 'murder, slaughter, and violation of innocent people' and 'spreading poverty, corruption, and prostitution and displacing people.' While the Islamic Republic prepares for the early 14th presidential election, even some government officials have described this election as 'political triviality' and a 'farce.' On the other hand, Ali Khamenei has warned candidates against 'slander and mudslinging' as it would lead to a loss of 'national dignity.' In contrast, Prince Reza Pahlavi has once again likened the Islamic Republic's elections to a 'circus' and stated that 'the response of the great nation of Iran to this entire farce is a decisive no.' The National Front of Iran – Europe and organizations of the National Front of Iran abroad have stated in a statement that the 'mock elections of the Islamic Republic' are 'an insult to the intelligence of Iranians.' Additionally, the political-executive committee of the Iranian Republican Solidarity has issued a statement regarding the upcoming elections, inviting the Iranian people 'to begin a targeted boycott of the sham presidential elections of 2024 through active engagement,' and wrote: 'Families, friendly gatherings, workplaces, and professional meetings are a good starting point for unity and solidarity around saying no to the Islamic Republic's mock ballot boxes. Let us strive to turn the upcoming mock elections into an opportunity to demonstrate the power of the people and unity in saying no to the institution of the Supreme Leader and the exclusive duality of 'principlists' – 'reformists and moderates.' This political group emphasized: 'We need to place a 'no entry' sign in front of political deception by clearly saying no to power-seeking, delusional, and conservative tendencies claiming to change the status quo.'