According to the organization Reporters Without Borders, media professionals in Iran are once again being subjected to severe repression. “After a brief respite, the Iranian government is again arresting more and more media professionals,” the organization said in Berlin on Friday. “Tehran wants independent media workers to live in a climate of fear,” said Reporters Without Borders executive director Christian Mihr.
According to Reporters Without Borders, Iranian authorities have arrested 75 journalists since nationwide protests began in September following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in police custody. 17 of them are still in custody. Many media workers are harassed, spied on or threatened.
Iran is ranked 177th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom rankings. According to media reports, Iran is also continuing to execute protesters. According to Amnesty International, by 2022 the number had risen dramatically to at least 567 death sentences that had been carried out. Three more executions were reported on Friday.