UN human rights experts on Thursday condemned what they called Iran’s intensifying campaign of repression against journalists working for Iran International and the intimidation of their families, particularly after the 12-day war with Israel.
“We are deeply concerned by credible threats to the lives and safety of 45 Iran International journalists and staff and 315 of their family members,” the experts said in a joint statement.
The statement comes after Iran International filed an urgent appeal earlier this month with the experts urging them to take action against Iran over serious risks to the lives and safety of their journalists worldwide and relatives inside Iran.
UN experts said several UK-based journalists have required police protection, with some forced to move into safe houses or relocate abroad.
"Reports suggest that journalists have been followed, had tracking tags attached to their cars, and their cars repeatedly broken into. Women journalists have faced threats of death and sexual violence on social media and instant messaging services, some receiving hundreds of messages a day."
The experts which included UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, Mai Sato, said the latest phase of repression had increasingly targeted family members in Iran, who have been interrogated, placed under surveillance, and threatened with arrest or death.
Interrogators allegedly demanded that relatives pressure journalists to quit Iran International or serve as informants, particularly concerning alleged ties to Israel, the statement said.
“This campaign is an attempt to silence and censor critical reporting and courageous public interest journalism by a fragile Government that appears afraid of legitimate criticism."
“Such intimidation violates both freedom of expression and media freedom and may have a chilling effect on other journalists. It also deprives the public of their right to information. Civic space in Iran is already severely limited, and transnational repression further impedes those seeking to expose human rights violations,” they added.
The UN experts urged Iran to “immediately stop threatening and intimidating journalists and their families” and to investigate all such threats, prosecute those responsible, including state officials, and prevent future violations.
Iran International is an independent Persian-language satellite TV news channel broadcasting live 24/7 from London and Washington DC.
The network started in 2017 and has become the most watched Persian-language TV channel within and outside Iran on both satellite and online platforms.
