A/HRC/22/56 or the principle of velayat madari (obedience to the Supreme Leader)15 undermine the full enjoyment of article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which requires the free communication of information and ideas about public and political issues between citizens, candidates and elected representatives. B. Freedom of expression, association and assembly 15. The Special Rapporteur remains concerned at the continued arrest, detention and prosecution of dozens of journalists and Internet users under the provisions of the 1986 Press Law, which contains 17 categories of “impermissible” content. On 4 February 2013, the Special Rapporteur, together with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention called on the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately halt the recent spate of arrests of journalists and to release those already detained, following the arrest of at least 17 journalists, the majority of whom work for independent news outlets. 16 The mandate holders underscored their fear that the 17 arrests made were part of a broader campaign to crack down on independent journalists and media outlets, accused of having collaborated with “anti-revolutionary” foreign media outlets and human rights organizations. 16. Prior to the above-mentioned arrests, 45 journalists were already detained in the Islamic Republic of Iran.17 All five journalists interviewed for the present report about their arrest and prosecution maintained that they had not faced public trial by jury, as would be required by the Press Law. Two journalists reported that they had been arbitrarily detained without charge and without ever facing a trial; one was allegedly detained for several months and eventually released with a verbal warning, while the other was reportedly detained for three years, without charge or trial, then finally released on bail. Two female journalists also reported serious sexual harassment endured while in detention. 17. Mehdi Khazali began serving a 14-year sentence for criticizing the Government on his free-lance Internet blog in October 2012. Alireza Roshan, a reporter for the reformist publication Shargh began serving a one-year prison sentence in November 2012. Zhila BaniYaghoub, editor of the website of the Iranian Women’s Club, began serving a one-year term on charges of “propaganda against the system” and “insulting the President”, while her husband, journalist Bahman Ahmadi Amouee, is currently serving a five-year sentence on “anti-State charges”.18 18. The Special Rapporteur is also concerned at reports of harassment of family members of journalists who live and work abroad. In a public statement, 104 journalists called for an end to the harassment and intimidation of their family members aimed at putting pressure on journalists to discontinue their work with such news agencies as BBC Persian, Vof America and Radio Farda. One journalist interviewed for the present report maintained that two of her family members had had their passports confiscated, and that the family had been threatened 15 16 17 18 6 http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13911019000569; http://www.1000news.ir/1391/10/24/2074/; http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13911023000070. “UN experts call on Iran to stop journalist arrests and release those detained”, press release, available from www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=12967&LangID=E. See Committee to Protect Journalists, 2012 prison census, available from http://cpj.org/imprisoned/2012.php. Ibid.