11/11/2015 Press Releases (Shaheed)

UN experts call on Iran to stop intimidating journalists ahead of parliamentary elections

GENEVA (11 November 2015) – The authorities in Iran should stop arresting, prosecuting and harassing journalists and online activists, and provide a safe space for freedom of expression as the country prepares for parliamentary elections early next year, UN human rights experts said today.

“Increasing intimidation of journalists is hindering their ability to operate freely in the country,” said Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on Iran. He noted that in recent days, Iranian intelligence and security officials have arrested a number of journalists in what appeared to be a new crackdown on freedom of expression and the media.

The arrest on 2 November of five journalists, including Afarine Chitsaz, Ehssan Mazandarani, Saman Safarzai, and Issa Saharkhiz, by plainclothes members of the Revolutionary Guard’s intelligence units was particularly worrying, Mr. Shaheed said.

The journalists were reportedly detained on suspicion of taking part in an infiltration network, seeking to influence public opinion and undermine the Islamic Republic on behalf of western governments, according to Iranian state television and media reports. More than a dozen other journalists and social media activists have also reportedly been summoned for interrogation by the authorities.

Iran has one of the highest numbers of journalists and social activists in detention in the world. According to figures from April 2015, at least 45 were being held for their peaceful activities.

“The government of Iran should not silence critical or dissenting voices under the guise of vague and unsubstantiated national security concerns,” Mr. Shaheed said. As a State party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Iran has international obligations to allow and protect the right to a free press and access to information, he stressed.

“Freedom of expression is central to guarantee open, free and fair political processes. Ultimately, democratic processes are unsustainable if media workers and activists have no safety to perform their vital role,” said David Kaye, the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

The timing of an increase in detention and harassment of journalists was particularly worrying, Mr Kaye said, as the country prepares for parliamentary elections in February 2016.

“Public participation in any electoral process is virtually impossible if the media and civil society are so frequently affected by arrests and prosecution. Unfortunately this is not a new concern; similar concerns were expressed by UN experts regarding the arrest of journalists just before the Iranian elections of 2013” said Mr. Kaye.

The Iranian authorities should reverse this trend and must quickly ensure “a greater space for free exchange of ideas in the run-up to elections,” he added.

The human rights experts urged the Government of Iran to release all journalists including Jason Rezaian, who have been arbitrarily and unlawfully arrested for their peaceful exercise of fundamental rights.

 

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

(all times in EST)

02 04 23
  • World Autism Awareness Day

    02 04 23

03 04 23
  • HRC52: Iran Resolution Vote / Appt. of Mandate Holders

    03 04 23  6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

04 04 23
  • 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council: Closing

    04 04 23
    Geneva Switzerland

06 04 23
  • International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

    06 04 23

07 04 23
  • International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda

    07 04 23

  • World Health Day

    07 04 23

12 04 23
  • International Day of Human Space Flight

    12 04 23

20 04 23
  • Chinese Language Day

    20 04 23

21 04 23
  • World Creativity and Innovation Day

    21 04 23

22 04 23
  • International Mother Earth Day

    22 04 23

23 04 23
  • English Language Day

    23 04 23

  • Spanish Language Day

    23 04 23

    http://www.un.org/es/events/spanishlanguageday/

  • World Book and Copyright Day

    23 04 23

25 04 23
  • World Malaria Day

    25 04 23

26 04 23
  • International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

    26 04 23

  • World Intellectual Property Day

    26 04 23

28 04 23
  • World Day for Safety and Health at Work

    28 04 23

29 04 23
  • Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

    29 04 23

30 04 23
  • International Jazz Day

    30 04 23

02 05 23
  • World Tuna Day

    02 05 23

03 05 23
  • World Press Freedom Day

    03 05 23

04 05 23
  • Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War

    04 05 23 - 05 05 23  

05 05 23
  • Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War

    04 05 23 - 05 05 23  

10 05 23
  • "Vesak", the Day of the Full Moon

    10 05 23

  • World Migratory Bird Day

    10 05 23

15 05 23
  • International Day of Families

    15 05 23

17 05 23
  • World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

    17 05 23

21 05 23
  • World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

    21 05 23

22 05 23
  • International Day for Biological Diversity

    22 05 23

23 05 23
  • International Day to End Obstetric Fistula

    23 05 23

29 05 23
  • International Day of UN Peacekeepers

    29 05 23

31 05 23
  • World No-Tobacco Day

    31 05 23

01 06 23
  • Global Day of Parents

    01 06 23

04 06 23
  • International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression

    04 06 23

05 06 23
  • World Environment Day

    05 06 23

06 06 23
  • Russian Language Day

    06 06 23

08 06 23
  • World Oceans Day

    08 06 23

12 06 23
  • World Day Against Child Labour

    12 06 23

13 06 23
  • International Albinism Awareness Day

    13 06 23

14 06 23
  • World Blood Donor Day

    14 06 23

15 06 23
  • World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

    15 06 23

16 06 23
  • International Day of Family Remittances

    16 06 23

17 06 23
  • World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

    17 06 23

18 06 23
  • Sustainable Gastronomy Day

    18 06 23

19 06 23
  • International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict

    19 06 23

20 06 23
  • World Refugee Day

    20 06 23

21 06 23
  • International Day of Yoga

    21 06 23

23 06 23
  • International Widows' Day

    23 06 23

  • United Nations Public Service Day

    23 06 23

25 06 23
  • Day of the Seafarer

    25 06 23

26 06 23
  • International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

    26 06 23

  • United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

    26 06 23

27 06 23
  • Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day

    27 06 23

29 06 23
  • International Day of the Tropics

    29 06 23

30 06 23
  • International Asteroid Day

    30 06 23

01 07 23
  • International Day of Cooperatives

    01 07 23

11 07 23
  • World Population Day

    11 07 23

15 07 23
  • World Youth Skills Day

    15 07 23

18 07 23
  • Nelson Mandela International Day

    18 07 23

28 07 23
  • World Hepatitis Day

    28 07 23

30 07 23
  • International Day of Friendship

    30 07 23

  • World Day against Trafficking in Persons

    30 07 23