Human Rights Watch condemns new allegations against three Iranian journalists and crackdown

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Monday that three Iranian journalists were charged with “propaganda against the state” and planning actions “against national security” after their release.

The New York-based international organization for the protection and promotion of human rights was condemned in a statement signed by HRW Iran researcher Tara Sepehri Far, in which she called on the Tehran authorities to drop the charges against the three journalists at a time when, he said, , repression against the press in the country is becoming ruthless.

“The Iranian judiciary has again begun to summon and harass journalists and human rights defenders, punishing all those who refuse to remain silent,” Sepehri Far said, adding that the authorities are “ruthless in prosecuting and punishing all those who report the incident.” on Social Issues and Grievances” after the protests that have taken place in the country in recent months.

The trial of journalists Saeed Shafiya, Mehrnoush Zareya Henzaki and Naseem Sultan Beigi is scheduled for this Monday at the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, and under Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, each of these charges, “propaganda against the state” and “assembly and conspiracy to commit actions against national security”, is punishable by imprisonment for a term of up to five years,

The charges against Sultan Beygi, which carry the harshest sentence of the three, are based on his cooperation with numerous national and foreign media outlets, as well as his “unwillingness to cooperate during interrogation and facilitate the removal of the Islamic hijab)”.

In September 2022, Iranians took to the streets to protest the death of 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini in the custody of the “vice police”, as well as the government’s long history of repression and impunity.

The allegations against Shafi’i relate to several articles he wrote in the online monthly magazine Peace Mark on topics such as rising poverty and the government’s management of energy subsidies and public resources.

The charges against Zareya Henzaki relate to articles on reproductive laws and the state of Iran’s national parks.

“Iranian authorities crushed internal protests with excessive and deadly force, killing hundreds of protesters. They also arrested tens of thousands of protesters as well as hundreds of activists, journalists and human rights defenders on dubious charges and handed down death sentences. in highly unfair trials,” the NGO said in a statement.

In February, Iranian authorities announced a broad amnesty that included the release of many detainees, as well as pardons or commutations of sentences for all those arrested, charged or detained during the protests.

But according to media reports, Iranian authorities are now calling on several recently released activists and protesters, especially journalists.

“The international community should keep the cases of journalists and human rights activists at the center of its relationship with Iran,” Sepehri Far said, adding that countries “should demand that Iran drop these and other ridiculous accusations made by the authorities against journalists.” .