A/HRC/19/66
reports allege that Mr Boroujerdi‟s health has continued to deteriorate and that he has
insufficient access to medical treatment. In November 2011, his cellmate reportedly made
an attempt on his life, an attack allegedly orchestrated by authorities; reports maintain that
Mr Boroujerdi remains in danger. The Special Rapporteur reiterates his call for urgent
adequate medical access for Mr Boroujerdi and for his immediate release.
D.
Journalists
52.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has detained more journalists that any other country in
the world, with 42 journalists currently imprisoned. 39 According to reports received by the
Special Rapporteur, at least 150 journalists have fled the country since the presidential
election of 2009 owing to fear of repression and persecution. In a letter to the Special
Rapporteur, Reporters without Borders stated that approximately 50 publications had been
suspended since the election, and that most press trials are conducted in private, despite the
fact that the Constitution stipulates that press trials must be judged by a jury. 40 It was also
reported that journalists are frequently barred from appearing at their trials and are often
informed of their sentences in prison.
53.
In an interview, two recently detained journalists (who wish to remain anonymous)
reported increasing censorship in the country. One stated that “authorities used to tell us
before what not to write, and now they are telling us what to write as well”. The reporters
claimed that the Ministry of Cultural Guidance and/or the National Security Council often
directly censored newspapers by telling them what issues to cover through memos or
telephone calls. One interviewee stated that newspaper editors were called and threatened to
refrain from writing about reformist politicians, and that the Office of the Supreme Leader
had instructed the press to refrain from reporting on allegations of widespread corruption in
the country. They reported that press offices were raided and searched, and equipment was
often confiscated. Reporters are frequently banned from journalism in the absence of court
rulings, which forces journalists to practice self-censorship.
54.
Mohammad Reza Yazdanpanah, a journalist who works for reformist newspapers
and websites, was arrested on 7 July 2009 for his support for and role in post-presidential
election protests. He was held incommunicado, and spent 18 days in solitary confinement
and interrogated for giving interviews to foreign media outlets, establishing relations with
the diplomatic community, and participating in the post-election unrest. Throughout his
detention, Mr Yazdanpanah was threatened with rape and subjected to treatment amounting
to torture, and to certain humiliating practices. He was forced to stand for 48 hours without
food and water. He was released after posting bail equivalent to $200,000. Two weeks after
his release, Mr Yazdanpanah was summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence, where he was
allegedly forced to make a confession.
55.
Another journalist (also wishing to remain anonymous), reported having been
arrested during the post-election protests in 2009 and taken to Ward 209 in Evin Prison.
The journalist described detention in solitary confinement and interrogations by individuals
that possessed recordings of the journalist‟s conversations and e-mail correspondence. The
witness reported being blindfolded and threatened with rape and solitary confinement
during interrogations in order to other force confession and cooperation. The witness was
39
40
16
Committee to Protect Journalists, “2011 prison sentence: 179 journalists jailed worldwide”, 1
December 2011. Available from www.cpj.org/imprisoned/2011.php.
According to article 168, “political and press offences will be tried openly and in the presence of a
jury, in courts of justice. The manner of the selection of the jury, its powers and the definition of
political offences are determined by law in accordance with Islamic criteria.”
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