In the annual Press Freedom Index by the Reporters Without Border, it is no surprise that Iran ranked as one of the worst countries for journalists. Iran, who was ranked 166th in 2008, has fallen to 172nd this year. The only countries to fare worst than Iran are Turkmenistan (173rd), North Korea (174th) and Eritrea (175th). As the Reporters Without Border pointed out:
Journalists have suffered more than ever this year in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Iran. The president’s disputed reelection plunged the country into a major crisis and fostered regime paranoia about journalists and bloggers.
Automatic prior censorship, state surveillance of journalists, mistreatment, journalists forced to flee the country, illegal arrests and imprisonment – such is the state of press freedom this year in Iran.
For more information on the lack of freedom of press found in Iran, here are my previous blogs on journalists arrested during the post-election turmoil:
– And the Ignominious Trials Continue
Here is also a list of some of the journalists arrested by the Iranian government in the post-election turmoil. The list is taken from the Daily Beast:
- Ahmad Zeidabadi: Journalist with Tehran-based daily Hamshahri, BBC Persian, and thePersian/English news site Rooz.
Arrested June 14 - Shiva Nazarahari: Blogger and human-rights activist
Arrested June 14. - Maziar Bahari: Correspondent for Newsweek magazine.
Arrested June 21 - Bahman Ahmadi Amooyi and Zhila Bani Yaghoub: Husband and wife journalists who write about women’s rights issues in Iran.
Arrested together June 20 - Mohammad Ghouchani: Editor of the daily Etemad Meli.
Arrested June 18 - Mahsa Amrabadi: Journalist and blogger.
Arrested June 14 - Keyvan Samimi Behbahani: Editor of Nameh magazine.
Arrested June 14 - Saeed Laylaz: Business reporter for Sarmayeh.
Arrested June 17 - Mohammad Reza Yazdanpanah: Journalist and blogger with pro-reform newspapers Shargh, Kargozaran, Hammihan, and Farhikhtegan.
Arrested July 7 - Issa Saharkhiz: Journalist and former editor of Aftab and Eghtesah.
Arrested July 4 - Mohammad Ali Abtahi: “The Blogging Mullah”.
Arrested June 16
Newsweek journalist Maziar Bahari was released recently on humanitarian grounds.