Iran: A graveyard of press freedom and a nightmare for independent journalists, in the shadow of the Islamic Republic

The Islamic Republic has turned Iran into a graveyard of press freedom and a daily nightmare for journalists.

The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) presented a bleak picture of the situation of journalists and media in the Islamic Republic in a new statement today, Wednesday, September 3, and stated: "Iran has become one of the most dangerous countries for independent journalists to operate in, and press freedom has been virtually destroyed."

The human rights organization emphasized that after the 12-day war and the resulting security crises, the government's pressure on the media has increased to an unprecedented extent, including threats, wiretapping, closing news offices, arbitrary arrests, and legal prosecution of any journalist who deviates from the official government line.

The director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran said in a statement: “Imprisoning journalists is part of the strategy to suppress protests and maintain power.”

He also called for the international community to support Iranian journalists, emphasizing that silence in the face of media repression means legitimizing the Islamic Republic's anti-human rights behavior.

The center has published a list of detained and prosecuted journalists, including Saeideh Shafiei, Omid Farghada, Mansour Iranpour, and Mandana Sadeghi. According to the organization, these individuals are being held solely for the crime of attempting to provide independent information.

In this regard, the organization "Reporters Without Borders" also published a report announcing the imprisonment of at least 21 journalists in Iran and ranked Iran 176th in the world in terms of press freedom; a position that clearly indicates the continuous decline of freedom of expression in the country.

The Human Rights Center also pointed to the forced closure of the office of the Tehran Journalists' Association and the widespread dismissal of at least 150 journalists after the 12-day war, and considered these actions to be examples of the government's efforts to silence the independent voice of the media.

The statement concluded by addressing the United Nations and world governments, calling for immediate action to release journalists imprisoned in Iran.

Under the rule of the Islamic Republic, Iran has not only failed to uphold its international obligations on freedom of expression, but has also systematically destroyed independent journalists and media outlets. What is happening in Iran today is organized censorship, suppression of information, and the elimination of any dissenting voice.

While the Iranian people struggle with problems such as high prices, corruption, and social crises, the government, instead of accountability and transparency, breaks pens and imprisons journalists. The main victims of this policy are the Iranian people, who are deprived of the basic right to access free and transparent information.

Experts believe that the continued crackdown on journalists could intensify international pressure on the Islamic Republic. Western countries have so far imposed limited sanctions against human rights violators in Iran, but the scope of these measures is expected to expand as the arrests continue.

On the other hand, the United Nations and global human rights institutions will be forced to take a more assertive stance, as ignoring the state of press freedom in Iran could call into question the legitimacy of these organizations. However, experience has shown that the Islamic Republic often uses such pressures to fuel anti-Western rhetoric and further domestic repression.

The suppression of journalists does not only mean imprisonment of individuals, but also a fatal blow to Iranian civil society. Eliminating independent media means cutting off the free flow of information and expanding the space for rumors and propaganda. In such circumstances, citizens are either forced to trust government media to learn the facts or remain confused among contradictory information from unofficial networks.

On the other hand, pressure on journalists and the closure of media outlets have discouraged the younger generation from hoping for change and reform through legal and civil channels. This has led to a widespread migration of journalists and a brain drain, a trend that has intensified in recent years and further weakened Iranian society.