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Suppression of Journalists in Iran: Ongoing Repression in January 2025

In the first month of the year 2025, the...

Silencing Voices: An Overview of Media and Journalist Repression in Iran (2024 Annual Report)

The year 2024 was filled with challenging and difficult...

September 2024 monthly report: Martial Law in the Press

September 2024, proved to be a challenging month for...

nine: Number of Imprisoned Journalists and Media Activists in Iran

Today, November 2, 2024, at least nine journalists and media activists are incarcerated in Iran’s prisons and detention centers: Nasrin Hasani in Bojnord, Jina Modares Gorji in Sanandaj, Shirin Saeedi, Vida Rabani, Saba Azarpeyk, Saeedeh Shafiee, Rouhollah Nakhaei, Reza Valizadeh in Tehran and Ozhdar Piri in an undisclosed detention center.


Nasrin Hasani
 was transferred to prison in Bojnord on January 4, 2024 after going to the Second Branch of the Enforcement Court in Bojnord to serve her imprisonment sentence. This journalist, who is also the director of the biweekly magazine “Seyahat-e Shargh,” is serving a sentence of one year and seven months.

Shirin Saeedi was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison on December 23, 2023 after being summoned to the court. This economic journalist has been sentenced to five years in prison by the first court.

Vida Rabani, a journalist and political activist residing in Tehran, was arrested on October 24, 2022 during the “Women, Life, Freedom” protests. She is currently serving a three-year prison sentence.

Saba Azarpeyk, a media activist residing in Tehran, was arrested by judicial agents on June 9, 2024. According to the latest news released by Ata Hafezi, Saba Azarpayk’s husband, this media activist is currently serving a two-year sentence in prison.

Saeideh Shafiei, a journalist and author, returned to Evin Prison on September 6, 2024 to continue serving her sentence, despite being ill. She has been sentenced to three years, seven months, and 16 days in prison.

Jina Modares Gorji, a journalist residing in Sanandaj and a women’s rights activist, was arrested on Saturday, November 2, 2024, after reporting to the Criminal Enforcement Court in Sanandaj, and was transferred to the city’s prison to serve a 16-month sentence.

Rouhollah Nakhaei, a journalist residing in Tehran, was arrested and transferred to the same prison on February 20, 2024 after going to the Evin Enforcement Court to serve his two-year sentence.

Reza Valizadeh, a former Persian section journalist for Radio Free Europe (Radio Farda), was arrested shortly after returning to Iran by the security authorities of the Islamic Republic. Despite DeFFI’s inquiries with various sources, there is still no information available regarding his current status.

azhdar Piri Sarmanlou, the editor of the monthly magazine “International Journal of Nations Research” and a resident of Karaj, was arrested at his home by security forces on Monday, October 21, 2024. Two months into his detention, he continues to be denied visitation rights with his family and the ability to have a chosen lawyer.