Iran

While President Hassan Rouhani has paved the way towards greater transparency in Iran with a new access to information law, his other election promises including greater internet freedoms remain undelivered. Since his re-election in 2017, President Rouhani’s appointment of hardliners to cabinet positions have provoked grave concerns for freedom of expression, particularly freedoms online. With continued restrictions on journalists, human rights defenders and other groups that exercise free speech, Iran evidences a glaring disregard for international human rights standards. Civil society is severely oppressed, with most groups having to operate outside of the country, and those in Iran are forced to work underground. Despite this, Iran’s new freedom of information law, passed in 2009, could be a powerful tool for journalists and human rights defenders to achieve better access to information but it has a long way to go before it is implemented effectively.

ARTICLE 19’s work on Iran focuses on monitoring laws, policies and regulations which affect freedom of expression and information online and offline. We monitor Iran’s complex internet policies and respond to evolving threats online. We work with a wide network of experts and human rights defenders on how to effectively use Iran’s freedom of information law and to highlight violations on freedom of expression and access to information.

Iran: Protest against Hijab Day as Morality Police intensify crackdown
12.07.2022 2 min read

Iran: Protest against Hijab Day as Morality Police intensify crackdown

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Iran’s new Islamic Penal Code provisions: Tools for further repression
06.07.2022 4 min read

Iran’s new Islamic Penal Code provisions: Tools for further repression

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Iran: Meta must protect the Iranian #MeToo movement
29.06.2022 5 min read

Iran: Meta must protect the Iranian #MeToo movement

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Iran: Meta must overhaul Persian-language content moderation on Instagram
09.06.2022 14 min read

Iran: Meta must overhaul Persian-language content moderation on Instagram

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Iran: Near total Internet shutdown in Khuzestan as food protests continue
12.05.2022 11 min read

Iran: Near total Internet shutdown in Khuzestan as food protests continue

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Iran: Authorities shirk accountability as UN expert visit gets underway
06.05.2022 4 min read

Iran: Authorities shirk accountability as UN expert visit gets underway

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Deceit, denials, delays: How Iran keeps its public in the dark
26.04.2022 13 min read

Deceit, denials, delays: How Iran keeps its public in the dark

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Blog: Iran’s ‘Protection Bill’ will hurt the queer community the most
13.04.2022 15 min read

Blog: Iran’s ‘Protection Bill’ will hurt the queer community the most

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Iran: Authorities violate prohibition of torture by harassing witnesses
07.04.2022 37 min read

Iran: Authorities violate prohibition of torture by harassing witnesses

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