Rouhani: From Some Publications, You Can Tell Who Will Be Arrested Tomorrow

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, in remarks at the Press Exhibition, referred to some media outlets as 'secret police' and stated that from their writings, one can understand 'who will be arrested tomorrow.' According to the IRNA news agency, Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday, November 7, at the Press Exhibition: 'You can tell from some publications who will be arrested tomorrow, where will be closed tomorrow, and whose reputation needs to be tarnished.' In another part of his speech, he stated that 'the word confiscation should be the last word for a media outlet.' He emphasized the country's need for 'a transparent and clear press system with clear laws and regulations,' saying that 'if the law is clear, a group cannot play with press freedom every day by obtaining a word or a sentence.' The Iranian President added: 'The first punishment is a fine, the first punishment for any crime is short-term confiscation or short-term imprisonment; the first punishment is not execution.' In recent days, news of the arrest of Eisa Saharkhiz, the director of press at the Ministry of Culture during Mohammad Khatami's presidency, Ehsan Mazandarani, the editor-in-chief of the Farhikhtegan newspaper, Afrin Chitsaz, a columnist for the Iran newspaper, and Saman Safarzadeh, a journalist for the Andisheh Pouya magazine, has been published. Ibrahim Raisi, the Attorney General of Iran, also referred to the arrested journalists as 'a network of infiltration in the media and social networks' and 'spies and mercenaries in the hands of Americans.' However, on the same day, Hassan Rouhani warned that 'the word infiltration should not be played with.' During Rouhani's administration, several publications, including Mardom-e Emruz and Aseman, have been confiscated. Some confiscated publications, such as the Bahar newspaper and the Zanan-e Emruz magazine, resumed their activities after being confiscated. In another part of his speech, Hassan Rouhani criticized the 'immunity' of some media outlets, saying: 'Is it bearable that in a country, some media outlets are forever immune from punishment, confiscation, and closure, and a permanent security margin is established for them so that they can not only say whatever they want but sometimes act as secret police?' Rouhani emphasized: 'Some media outlets, with the people's money and public funds... operate against the honor of the government and against the government elected by the people.' Rouhani's reference could be to newspapers like Kayhan or news agencies like Fars and Tasnim, which operate with government funding and are strong critics of the government. These media outlets have published articles against the arrested journalists and also against Nazaar Zaka, a Lebanese national detained in Iran, labeling them as 'infiltration agents' of the U.S. in Iran. Meanwhile, the Kayhan newspaper described these arrests as 'guaranteeing the future of the Islamic Republic.' This newspaper also accused 'N. J.', a senior official at the Ministry of Communications, of having 'structural connections' with Nazaar Zaka. The reference by Kayhan could be to Nasrollah Jahangard, the Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Iran. Previously, Fars news agency and the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting had described Nazaar Zaka as someone with 'deep ties to the American military and intelligence community.' However, Zaka's family has denied any connection to military or intelligence organizations, and his lawyer states that he only holds Lebanese citizenship and is not a U.S. citizen. Rouhani's statements on Sunday came at a time when Fars and Tasnim news agencies, along with the websites Dana, Raja, and Jahan News, as well as the newspapers Kayhan, Vatan-e Emruz, and 9 Dey, have boycotted this year's Press Exhibition.