The experts marked recent incidents targeting the Persian-language news service Iran International, its journalists and staff, and its owner Volant Media UK Limited. Death threats and intimidation against staff escalated to the violent stabbing of journalist Pouria Zeraati outside his London home on March 29.
Since 2017, Iran International has faced continued threats and intimidation from Iranian authorities and their proxies, which increased in magnitude following the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests in Iran. Persian media abroad were falsely accused of inciting unrest, which aggravated the abuse.
“Such attacks not only violate human rights to life and personal security, but also aim to suppress freedom of expression and the media, including legitimate criticism of the Iranian government,” they said.
Attempted homicide
According to the experts, there have been at least 15 credible Iranian plots to kill or kidnap individuals in Britain since 2022.
British counter-terrorism police warned two Iran International staff, including Volant’s chief executive Mahmoud Enayat, of “imminent threats to their lives” in November 2022, prompting them to flee the UK.
Furthermore, in November 2023, a plot to assassinate two television presenters, including Fardad Farahzad, was foiled.
A chilling effect on the press
The experts warned that these attacks and threats could have a chilling effect on journalists both inside and outside Iran.
They cited an incident in September 2023 in New York in which Iran International journalist Kian Amani was attacked by a member of the Iranian delegation to the United Nations.
Iran imposed travel and financial sanctions on Volant Media and Iran International in 2022 for allegedly supporting terrorism, and in 2019 it froze the assets of the owners and their relatives in Iran.
“We deplore the blatant abuse of the Anti-Terrorism Law against journalists, which violates the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly, the right to travel, privacy, family rights, the right to reputation, due process and judicial guarantees,” according to the experts. .
Pattern of attacks
The experts noted that the incidents against Iran International were part of a pattern of threats and attacks against Persian-language media and dissidents outside Iran, including journalists working for BBC News Persian, Deutsche Welle, Voice of America, IranWire and Radio Farda.
“We urge Iran to refrain from violence, threats and intimidation against Iran International and its employees, online and offline, and other journalists and media workers reporting on Iran from abroad, and to hold those responsible for such acts investigate and prosecute,” they said.
Experts who raised the alarm included the Special Rapporteurs for the human rights situation in Iranon protection of rights in the fight against terrorismon freedom of opinion and expressionon peaceful association and assemblyand further extrajudicial killings.
Appointed by the Geneva-based UN Council for Human RightsSpecial Rapporteurs are tasked with monitoring and reporting on specific human rights sectors and the situation in a country. They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work.
