The Situation of Journalists Inside Iran

"There is so much pressure that, from the editors to the Editors-in-Chief and all the way up to the Managing Editors, everyone is afraid that their writings—which are strictly monitored—will cause their media outlets to be shut down. The conditions are such that we are not permitted to site official news sources such as ILNA inside Iran because they write with a somewhat more free hand and perhaps with an edge. Add to all these anxieties the fear of losing one’s job, finding appropriate employment, and solving a host of general and economic daily problems. Generally, I can say that since the 2009 Presidential Election our situation is such that, as journalists, we have traversed the purgatory and are now very close to hell."

Under the current circumstances in Iran, dozens of journalists have been forced to flee the country and a sizeable number of the country’s most active and prominent journalists, particularly those who write about politics are in prison. Despite these circumstances, a large number of journalists still prefer to remain in Iran. Apart from this group of journalists, there are some who write on behalf of the government in an atmosphere laden with lies and currying favors who are rewarded for writing to benefit the interests of the government, and subsequently enjoy good benefits. Nevertheless, despite the dangers of arrest and incarceration, a large number of committed journalists who seek to transmit the truth in their writings have persevered and remained in the country. Some among this latter group continue their journalistic work while others have discontinued their work as a result of the banning of a large number of media outlets.

From March 21, 2009 to March 20, 2010 (the Iranian Calender Year 1388), unprecedented restrictions were set on the Iranian media and journalists. According to a statement by Reporters without Borders released in March 2010, “In the last eight months, more than 110 journalists have been arrested and imprisoned and more than 20 publications have been banned.” After the dissemination of the above statistics, pending the verdict in their cases, a number of the said journalists were freed on bail. The rest are still in prison. Additionally, new names have been added to the list of the imprisoned journalists.

But what fears and hopes drive those journalists who do not write in favor of the government and who value their professional mission over personal interests? What obstacles do they face and what solutions can they see ahead of them? These are some of the questions we posed several journalists in Iran. These journalists cover various political, social, economic, cultural, and artistic spheres.

Staying in Iran and Whispering Quietly is Better than Leaving and Shouting Loudly

A reporter who covers the social sphere has the following to say about remaining in Iran under the current critical conditions: “My journalist friends and I, who have stayed in the country and continue our professional activities in Tehran and other cities in Iran, have one main mission: surviving and overcoming the nightmare of censorship. The current suppression of the dissemination of news is more difficult than at any other time in recent memory. But the presence of those of us in Iran, as well as the distribution and publication of news—albeit in a dispersed manner—and via nontraditional or unofficial media, e.g., mouth-to-mouth transmittal, emails, SMS, Facebook, or though the traditional dissemination of news via the official Persian-language media outside of Iran, i.e., Radio Farda, Zamaneh, BBC, Voice of America, and Deutsche Welle, all serve as practical ways to keep everyone informed about the realities in Iran.”

In this reporter’s view, at this critical historic and social juncture, journalists must remain in Iran, because leaving Iran would, in effect, mean doing exactly what the Islamic Republic--a regime that considers reporters and journalists as pests--wishes. “Time and again, we have heard that in the course of interrogations interrogators have suggested to journalists and social activists to leave the country quietly, with the government paying for the related expenses. The officials put forth and emphasize the point that, if the journalists exit the country quietly, their families will not be harassed.”

Experiencing life under critical, hazardous, stressful, and perhaps even exciting conditions is another reason the above-mentioned reporter decided to stay in Iran. “In my view, personally and tangibly experiencing such circumstances is critically important for every journalist. While I respect journalists who decided to leave the country under these circumstances, I would have them know that by leaving, they have done precisely what the Islamic Republic wished to have happen. Even the mere physical presence of each and every one of us still here is a thorn in the side of the Islamic Republic, an imposition that implies that it must expend money and energy in order to control us, for it must constantly watch our comings and goings, tap our phones, and spend a tremendous amount of time interrogating our arrested colleagues and friends in order to extract new information about us from them. Though such information is, for the most part, clear and quite obvious, the government’s henchmen do not tend to believe it. Fortunately, most journalists who are critical of the government and still in Iran believe in transparency. They do not operate secretively, nor do they have “underground” connections or relations, and they persist solely in their professional activities, that is, gathering and disseminating news under critical conditions.”

This journalist points out that, in order to stay safe in Iran, there is no way other than keeping a very low profile: “We are very heavily monitored by the Intelligence Ministry, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Basij militias, and the like, but the reality is that if we journalists leave, these few limited means of disseminating and transmitting the news will be lost as well. Quite aside from those who have left the country to safeguard their lives, those who, from the beginning, expected that journalism, dissemination, and publication of the news in an undeveloped country such as Iran could, politically speaking, happen in a calm and democratic environment, could not have had a proper understanding of the modus operandi of the politics and media in the Third world or in autocratic societies.”

Lack of Security

According to another journalist who writes about culture and the intellectual arena and who has been unemployed since the media outlet where he worked was closed, the lack of political, legal, and economic security are the most significant obstacles facing journalists who remain in Iran. “This lack of security, or sense of insecurity, has touched every aspect of our lives. Our difficulty is that any kind of media activity in any field is considered or interpreted as a form of political activity by the regime, meaning that the limits of criticism are squarely based on the perimeters of arena of politics or everything that is or can be conceived to be within that arena. Lack of economic security is a clear and very tangible issue in the life of every person, whether a journalist or not.” He continues, “Every political action or exercise of power by the ruling regime that results in the limitation or obstruction of professional opportunities for journalists endangers the economic security of all who endeavor in this field.”

Lack of Sustenance (or The Inability to Put Bread on One’s Table)

Another journalist who covers the cultural and artistic arena prefers to respond in a very indirect and measured manner: “There are many reasons for staying, the most important of which is changing the conditions in order to prepare the ground for the establishment of a democracy.” In his view, although the situation for journalists in Iran is now more dangerous than ever before and the current situation cannot be compared properly with that in any other period, this danger has not been limited to the last year alone: “In Iran, journalistic activity has always taken place in an atmosphere ridden with anxiety, stress, and danger.” It is very difficult for this journalist to speak of disappointment and hopelessness: “In the end, a way can always be found to go on, but, the reality is that, in addition to the issue of security, working for several newspapers and magazines and still coming up short financially at the end of the month is extremely stressful. Still, doing anything other than what I am doing would be completely destructive and negative for me.”

Constant Fear of Being Arrested

In response to the abovementioned questions, a political reporter says, “At present, I am unemployed. It may seem ridiculous but, in the course of the last three days, I have left my home only to take the trash down the street. The atmosphere here is depressing, especially since, despite the existence of all the political developments, we cannot tell and transmit the news in the domestic media.” He points out other shortcomings in reporting the news: “The speed of the Internet is extremely slow here and transmitting an article, even a simple short text, takes at least 30 minutes. Still, I don’t remain idle: I constantly write and send my articles to the foreign press. However, given the situation of the Iranian banks, receiving income this way is difficult because our bank accounts are monitored and controlled. In addition, it is still possible for political reporters to be arrested in their homes or off the street. Thus, fear of arrest is a constant fear.”

We Have Traversed the Media Purgatory

An economic reporter points out that those in charge of the media are fearful and anxious regarding yet another point: there is so much pressure that, from the editors to the Editors-in-Chief and all the way up to the Managing Editors, everyone is afraid that their writings—which are strictly monitored—will cause their media outlets to be shut down. The conditions are such that we are not permitted to site official news sources such as ILNA inside Iran because they write with a somewhat more free hand and perhaps with an edge. Add to all these anxieties the fear of losing one’s job, finding appropriate employment, and solving a host of general and economic daily problems. I do not write on politics but even writing as I do on economics, my critical outlook has been interpreted politically.” This is how he summarizes his situation and that of his colleagues: “Generally, I can say that since the 2009 Presidential Election our situation is such that, as journalists, we have traversed the purgatory and are now very close to hell.”


The names of the reporters and journalists quoted here have been held confidential in order to guard their privacy and ensure their safety.