News Center- From 23 January 2025, Iran’s intelligence agencies summoned journalists and media activists Zhila Bani-Yaghoub, Pejman Mousavi, Omid Faraghat, Maryam Shokrani and Alieh Motaleb Zadeh to appear at the Evin prosecutor’s office, said a statement published by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on Friday.

“The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the Iranian authorities’ ongoing crackdown on press freedom and calls for an immediate end to the harassment and intimidation of and legal action against journalists,” the statement said, adding:

“These actions amount to a new wave of pressure being exerted on journalists by the Iranian authorities. It fits into a broader pattern of suppressing independent journalism and civil activism in Iran. The Iranian government has intensified its crackdown on journalists, summoning and questioning around seven in just two weeks. Authorities are not revealing the charges against several journalists, raising concerns about them being cases of arbitrary arrests and intimidation.”

“We urge Iran to respect press freedoms and international human rights obligations, including the right to freedom of expression and protection from arbitrary detention,” said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger, expressing his full solidarity with all of the journalists summoned to make statements.

“We also demand transparency regarding the charges, if any, against the summoned journalists and call on authorities to return confiscated equipment seized during house searches. We condemn Iran’s increasing suppression of independent journalism and free speech.”