Watchdog slams Iran鈥檚 suppression of journalists

Rights groups and international bodies have repeatedly spoken out against the Iranian regime鈥檚 dismal treatment of journalists. (AFP)
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  • Latest condemnation follows jail term for theater photographer
  • CPJ: 鈥業ran has created a revolving cell door policy with regards to imprisoning journalists鈥�

LONDON: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned the Iranian regime鈥檚 use of 鈥渂aseless charges鈥� to suppress journalists in the country following the arrest and sentencing of a theater and cinema photographer.

鈥淚nstead of trying to rehabilitate its international image, Iran has instead created a revolving cell door policy with regards to imprisoning journalists,鈥� said Justin Shilad, senior Middle East and North Africa researcher at the CPJ.

The latest condemnation follows the arrest of cultural reporter and theater photographer Nooshin Jafari.

She was sentenced to a total of four years in prison for 鈥渟preading anti-establishment propaganda鈥� and 鈥渋nsulting sanctities,鈥� in a case that remained in appeal until Feb. 13.

The CPJ reported that her appeals had been rejected by the Iranian judiciary, and that she has now been taken to Qarchak prison 鈥� notorious for being a hive of extrajudicial killings, torture and human rights abuses.

鈥淚ranian authorities must free Nooshin Jafari immediately and stop imprisoning the country鈥檚 journalists on baseless charges,鈥� Shilad said.

The CPJ derided her arrest in 2019 as 鈥渙utrageous.鈥� It also drew widespread condemnation from rights groups and Iranians inside the country 鈥� including from celebrities.

Other rights groups and international bodies have repeatedly spoken out against the regime鈥檚 dismal treatment of journalists, with female reporters finding themselves at the sharp end of Tehran鈥檚 repression.

Last year, a group of UN human rights experts said: 鈥淩eports also indicate a pattern of gender-based harassment, targeting women journalists since 2009.鈥�

That harassment, they said, involves 鈥渢he dissemination of false stories, spreading of rumours and slander, usually with highly misogynistic contents and threats of sexual violence.鈥�