Reporters’ group urges UN assistance for Iranian journalists

 

Reporters Without Borders is warning about the dire situation for Iranian journalists and bloggers and freedom of information.

In a letter to Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the media rights group expressed its deep concern about what it describes as “the escalation of the repression of journalists, netizens and civil society members and the increase in online censorship in Iran.”

The letter indicates that “a relentless war” has been declared on Iranian journalists and netizens since the aftermath of the controversial 2009 presidential elections, which were marred by allegations of fraud that sparked widespread protests.

Reporters Without Borders urges Pillay “to intercede with the utmost firmness with the Iranian authorities to prevent the execution of two Iranian netizens, Saeed Malekpour and Vahid Asghari, whose death sentences were recently confirmed by the Iranian courts.”

The letter also calls on PIllay to work toward the release of 29 journalists and 21 netizens currently held in Iranian prisons.

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