On World Press Freedom Day, the United States honored Iranian journalists who are under significant pressure from their government, as Iran is known to be the world’s second worst country for imprisoning writers. Washington praised journalists like Niloufar Hamedi, Elahe Mohammadi, and Nazila Maroufian for their courage in bringing awareness to the Iranian people despite the regime’s efforts to silence them. The US Department of State highlighted the challenges faced by these journalists and admired their dedication to reporting under difficult circumstances.
Elahe Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi were previously detained for their reporting on the death of Mahsa Amini, who died in the custody of Iran’s morality police in 2022. After enduring temporary detention and receiving long prison sentences, their bail was eventually converted by the Tehran Appeals Court, leading to their release. Nazila Maroufian has also faced numerous arrests since the 2022 uprising and was subjected to sexual assault by regime forces, contributing to the Me Too movement’s fight against sexual abuse and assault of women.
Despite their release, Mohammadi, Hamedi, and Maroufian continue to face challenges as the Iranian government targets them for publishing pictures without mandatory hijab. The UN has condemned Iran’s crackdown on Islamic dress code as “gender apartheid” against women and girls. Reporters Without Borders has criticized Iran for its harsh treatment of journalists, with at least 23 currently imprisoned in the country. Iran ranks 176th out of 180 countries alongside nations like North Korea, Afghanistan, Syria, and Eritrea for its treatment of journalists.
According to PEN America’s latest 2023 Freedom to Write Index report released on World Press Freedom Day; Iran remains one of the countries that rank highest in terms of imprisoning writers globally following only China. This ranking underscores ongoing challenges faced by journalists in Iran and emphasizes the urgent need for press freedom in a country where even peaceful activism can lead to severe consequences.
Overall this day serves as a reminder that press freedom is not just a fundamental right but also essential for democracy and human rights worldwide.