Iran: Women journalists are taking a brave stand against censorship and media control following the Ukraine airliner tragedy
January 16, 2019 — The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands firmly behind Iranian women journalists who have chosen to push back against the false narrative being peddled by the Iranian state.
The current pushback from journalists began after Iran ‘mistakenly’ shot down a Ukrainian plane earlier this month, killing 176 people in the process. Many brava women journalists have staged walkouts or resigned from their posts to protest Iran’s attempts to cover up the heinous incident.
In a historic move, journalists working for state media in Iran have begun protesting and resigning, after the government admitted to shooting down the plane.
This is a courageous move by our colleagues, who face threats for simply ignoring the state narrative. CFWIJ has repeatedly documented cases of serious censorship and state oppression in Iran. Our data shows that Iran was the fourth most documented country when it comes to threats and attacks against women journalists.
To put things into context, our documentation also shows that in 2019, Iran was the largest jailer of women journalists in the world — putting several behind bars for simply reporting on events or stories that were critical of the state. We are closely observing the situation to see whether the current protests will result in further clampdown from the state in the form of arrests.
Several prominent figures in Iran condemned the act and took to social media to disassociate themselves from the inaccurate narrative being pushed by the Iranian government for years. Numerous journalists working for the state broadcaster IRIB also made it to the list of critics of the regime.
We laud the bravery of presenter Zahra Khatami who has vowed to “never get back to TV” following the tragic deaths of dozens of people.
Saba Rad, her fellow anchor, also announced that she would discontinue her work in the media. She wrote, “After 21 years of working in radio and TV, I cannot continue my work in the media. I cannot.”
Her thoughts were echoed by former state TV host Gelare Jabbari, who apologized to the public for “the 13 years I told you lies”.
The Association of Journalists based in Tehran has released a statement condemning the situation. “We are holding a funeral for public trust. The first coffins include the corpses of the official media… and then other newspapers and websites,” it said.
We, at The Coalition, have always condemned the controlling tactics of Iranian regime on the media and its treatment of journalists, especially women journalists in the country. The government has already imprisoned several of our colleagues and continues to tyrannize media in the country.
Press freedom has always faced many hurdles and challenges in the country. Journalists, especially women journalists, have continued to carry forward with their work despite very obvious risks. We wholeheartedly support the men and women that are standing up against the Iranian state at this time.
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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ
Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org
