Consultants highlighted latest incidents concentrating on Persian-language information company Iran Worldwide, its journalists and workers, and its proprietor Volant Media UK Restricted. On March 29, loss of life threats and intimidation towards workers escalated right into a violent stabbing of journalist Pouria Zeraati exterior her residence in London.
Since 2017, Iran Worldwide has confronted ongoing threats and harassment from the Iranian authorities and their proxies, which have intensified following the 2022 “Girls, Life, Freedom” protests in Iran. Persian media overseas have been falsely accused of inciting unrest and exacerbating abuses.
“Such assaults not solely violate the fitting to life and private safety, however are additionally geared toward suppressing freedom of expression and media, together with legit criticism of the Iranian authorities,” they mentioned.
tried homicide
Consultants say there have been a minimum of 15 credible Iranian plots to kill or kidnap people within the UK since 2022.
British counter-terrorism police warned two Iranian internationals, together with Volant managing director Mahmoud Enayat, in November 2022 of an “imminent risk to their lives”, prompting them to flee the UK.
Moreover, in November 2023, a plot to homicide two TV presenters, together with Fardad Farahzad, was foiled.
chilling impact on media
Consultants warn that these assaults and threats may have a chilling impact on journalists inside and outdoors Iran.
They cited the occasions in New York in September 2023, through which Iranian worldwide journalist Kian Amani was attacked by members of Iran’s mission to the United Nations.
In 2022, Iran imposed journey and monetary sanctions on Volant Media and Iran Worldwide Company for allegedly supporting terrorism, and in 2019 it froze the house owners and their household’s belongings in Iran.
“We deplore the blatant abuse of anti-terrorism legal guidelines towards journalists, which violates freedoms of expression, affiliation and peaceable meeting, the fitting to journey, privateness, household rights, popularity, in addition to due course of and judicial ensures,” the specialists mentioned.
assault mode
Consultants level out that the incident towards Iran Worldwide is a part of a sequence of threats and assaults towards Persian media and dissidents exterior Iran, together with these working for BBC Persian Information, Deutsche Welle, Voice of America, IranWire and Farda Radio reporter.
“We urge Iran to chorus from violence, threats and intimidation towards Iran Worldwide and its on-line and offline workers, in addition to different journalists and media employees reporting on Iran from overseas, and to research and prosecute these chargeable for such acts,” they mentioned. .
Consultants who raised the alarm embody the Particular Rapporteurs on the scenario of human rights in Iran, on the safety of rights whereas countering terrorism, on freedom of opinion and expression, on peaceable affiliation and meeting, and on extrajudicial executions.
Particular rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council and are tasked with monitoring and reporting on particular human rights sectors and nation conditions. They don’t seem to be United Nations workers and don’t obtain a wage for his or her work.