A Journalist in Iran Dismissed for Criticizing Environmental Organization Officials

Zeinab Rahimi, an environmental affairs journalist at the ISNA news agency, was dismissed from her job following criticism of the public relations director of the Organization for the Protection of the Environment on her Twitter page.

According to reports published on social media, the ISNA journalist was fired from the news agency due to posting critical remarks against the statements of Amir Abdolreza Sepangi, the public relations director of the Organization for the Protection of the Environment, made in a recent television program interview.

On Friday, Farvardin 29, Zeinab Rahimi shared images from the interview of this environmental organization official on her Twitter page, calling on him to either provide documentation regarding the accusations and allegations he made against environmental journalists about conspiring with “foreign funding” in the program, or to apologize to the journalists.

The public relations director of the Organization for the Protection of the Environment had stated in a television program in recent days that several Iranian journalists were engaged in crisis-mongering with “foreign funding.” These comments prompted reactions from some Iranian journalists, including Zeinab Rahimi.

Reporters Without Borders announced in its recent report, published on Tuesday, Ordibehesht 2, titled “World Press Freedom Index 2020,” that Iran, which ranked 170th in press freedom in 2019, has dropped three ranks this year to 171st place.

According to this report, the Islamic Republic regime has extensive control over media and through harassment and persecution of journalists and independent media outlets, as well as conducting unfair trials, intimidating journalists, arbitrary arrests, and imposing long-term prison sentences, has made Iran a completely unsafe place for journalists.

Source: Voice of America