Tehran Journalists' Association Responds to Increased Restrictions: Judiciary Should Exercise Restraint

The Tehran Journalists' Association has issued a statement urging the judiciary of the Islamic Republic to exercise 'restraint' towards journalists. The statement notes that in recent weeks, prison sentences for several journalists, including 'Saeedeh Shafiei' and 'Nasim Soltanbeigi,' have been finalized. It also references the sentencing of 'Sara Masoumi,' an international journalist who has received a two-year ban from journalism and six months in prison, and expresses regret over the summons or detention of journalists and the complaint against the newspaper 'Etemad.' Accordingly, the Tehran Journalists' Association has called for 'greater restraint from the judiciary' towards journalists, emphasizing that 'the emergence of an environment where journalists fear the consequences of their professional activities prevents them from fulfilling their inherent duties in this profession.' The statement also considers the boundaries of interactions with journalists to be ambiguous, stating: 'There is ambiguity regarding what clear or unwritten matters the boundaries of their treatment include.' This statement comes after increased pressure on journalists in Iran in recent weeks, with reports indicating multiple instances of summons and detentions within this profession. In this context, Hadi Kasai-Zadeh Mahabadi, the editor-in-chief of the monthly 'Meydan Azadi,' was arrested on Tuesday, December 19, after visiting the Qodosi Judicial Complex in Tehran. The pressure on journalists in Iran intensified following the onset of nationwide protests at the end of September 2022, with at least 73 journalists and photojournalists detained in the second half of last year, further jeopardizing press freedom. According to the latest report by Reporters Without Borders on media freedom, published on May 2, 2023, Iran ranks 177th out of 180 countries worldwide.