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July 17, 2025 – Iran –
Iranian journalists are facing an alarming rise in repression, both inside the country and beyond its borders. According to recent reports from Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Iran’s government is aggressively targeting reporters through arrests, censorship, family intimidation, and transnational repression.
Inside Iran, the crackdown has intensified since the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests and the June 2025 regional tensions with Israel. Authorities have detained hundreds of journalists, accusing them of spreading “fake news” or threatening national security. Among the most prominent cases were Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi, who reported on Amini’s death and were held in harsh conditions until being conditionally pardoned in early 2025. Despite their release, many Iranian journalists continue to be surveilled, prosecuted, or jailed for simply doing their job.
At the same time, Iran’s campaign extends to journalists living abroad. Freedom House’s July 2025 Transnational Repression (TNR) Watch highlights Iranian authorities’ growing use of threats and coercion to silence exiled reporters. Journalists affiliated with BBC Persian, Iran International, and Voice of America have reported alarming tactics: their families in Iran are harassed, interrogated, and banned from leaving the country. In some cases, they are pressured into contacting journalists to demand they stop reporting.
Physical threats have also escalated. In March 2024, Pouria Zeraati, a presenter for Iran International, was stabbed near his London home in what UK police believe was an act of political intimidation. Authorities have also foiled assassination plots and arrested suspects linked to Iranian intelligence.
RSF warns that these threats, combined with increased dangers for local reporters during wartime, place Iranian journalism in a precarious position. They have launched an “Iran Media Help Desk” offering emergency support, cybersecurity tools, and legal assistance to at-risk journalists.
Both Freedom House and RSF are calling for urgent international action to protect press freedom and ensure the safety of Iranian journalists everywhere. As Tehran expands its campaign of control beyond its borders, the global community is being urged to hold Iran accountable for targeting the press through both domestic oppression and cross-border intimidation.
Reference –
https://freedomhouse.org/article/tnr-watch-iranian-journalists-crosshairs
https://rsf.org/en/iran-s-journalists-are-still-danger-and-need-immediate-protection
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