Iranians split over proposed law to criminalize contact with foreign media
Iranian politicians are divided over a move by the country’s parliament to approve a bill that would criminalize communications with media outlets deemed hostile to the Islamic Republic. The bill is yet to become law, with some Iranian members of parliament raising concerns that the wording is too broad and could affect essential activities. Moein … The post Iranians split over proposed law to…
Political opinion in Iran is sharply divided over a proposed law that would make contact with foreign media punishable by law. The bill still needs to be passed, but some members of parliament fear its language is too broad and could impact vital operations. Moein Khazaeli, a human rights lawyer, described it as a "fresh legal catastrophe."
Iran's state news agency, IRNA, reported that politicians are split on the issue. Initially, Ebrahim Azizi, leader of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, believed the bill aimed to "increase transparency in channels of communication with foreigners." However, others argued the legislation wouldn't address the issue of foreign influence.
Gholamhossein Karbaschi, a reformist politician, stated: "The problem begins when we assume that the main route of infiltration is simply journalists, interviews or foreign media, and that restricting these areas can solve a significant part of the problem."
Despite this, Iran has already prosecuted individuals for contact with foreign media under other national security and espionage laws, prompting questions about the new bill's purpose. Iranian photojournalist Yalda Moaiery, whose work has been published globally, was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison for "activities in furtherance of the interest of the Zionist regime against national security." She intends to appeal the verdict.
Moaiery appeared on CNN in February, providing a rare firsthand account from inside Iran as the regime attempted to limit contact with the outside world.
Written by urgent.news from Egypt Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
