Tehran Journalists' Guild to Provide Lawyers for Journalists Facing Legal Action

The Tehran Journalists' Guild announced that it will provide free legal representation to journalists who are facing legal cases due to their professional activities. According to the Telegram channel of the Iranian Journalists' Club on Tuesday, March 6, the guild has asked journalists to inform them before entering court so that a lawyer can be appointed quickly. Recently, the guild signed a memorandum of understanding with the Iranian Bar Association (Scuda), under which Scuda committed to providing free lawyers to journalists who encounter legal issues due to professional matters. Some lawyers, such as Reza Shafakhah, have a history of providing free legal services to journalists. According to journalist Maryam Shakirani, Reza Shafakhah is among the lawyers who have taken on many cases of journalists and protesters for free. Anthony Bellanger, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Journalists, recently criticized the 'unjust punishments' against journalists imposed by the Islamic Republic authorities. He urged the Iranian judiciary to 'allow journalists to operate freely based on international documents that Iran must adhere to.' According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Iran was named the 'worst jail for journalists in the world' in 2022. Maryam Shakirani was sentenced to a fine; a source told Voice of America that a criminal record is being fabricated to imprison the journalist. The organization 'Defending the Flow of Information' reported that the prosecution of Iranian journalists increased by 40% in one month. Kimia Fathizadeh, a journalist, was sentenced to imprisonment and additional penalties. Saba Azarpayek, another journalist, was sentenced to imprisonment and banned from social media activities.