Reporters Without Borders: Dozens of Countries Restricted Media During Coronavirus Crisis; Continued Suppression of Journalists in Iran

Reporters Without Borders released a report stating that at least 90 countries, including Iran, have imposed restrictions on media coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and limited journalists’ access to information.

According to Reporters Without Borders’ investigation, from major countries such as Russia, India, and China to some European countries and smaller nations across different regions of the world, governments have violated media freedom in numerous cases regarding the coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Reporters Without Borders stated that media restrictions during this period have been documented in five Middle Eastern countries, one of which is Iran; a country that has experienced the highest death toll from the coronavirus pandemic.

The report states: “The coronavirus pandemic in Iran coincided with the suppression of independent journalists in Iran. It is estimated that at least 28 journalists have been summoned, interrogated, or arrested since the outbreak of the coronavirus in Iran.”

The dissemination of news and statistics related to the coronavirus outbreak in countries such as Russia, China, and Iran has been accompanied by doubts in recent months. According to statements from the Islamic Consultative Assembly Research Center and representatives of the World Health Organization, confirmed cases in Iran are at least five times higher than official figures, and the death toll is approximately double the official figures announced by the Ministry of Health.

Source: Voice of America