JournalismPakistan.com | Published June 20, 2018
Join our WhatsApp channelBRUSSELS- BBC Persian news presenter Negin Shiraghaei on Wednesday urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to help end the persecution of journalists and their families.
Journalists working at BBC Persian have been subjected to years of harassment and threats, and family members detained and banned from travelling. Women journalists have been subjected to a particularly abusive campaign of harassment. As many as 152 former and current BBC journalists face a criminal investigation and asset freeze in Iran.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), its UK affiliate the NUJ, the BBC and international human rights lawyers from Doughty Street Chambers launched a campaign last year to expose and tackle the abuse.
Campaigners addressed the United Nations today and tomorrow will hold a public event with the support of UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression David Kaye, drawing particular attention to the abuse faced by women journalists.
Speaking today on behalf of the IFJ, Ms Shiraghaei told the 38th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva: “I am one of the many women journalists who have been targeted with online bullying, harassment, hacking, phishing and surveillance."
"We have been targeted with fake news, alleging sexual misconduct and indecency that could amount to a crime in Iran, including in state-owned media. Our faces have been edited onto pornographic images which have been shared online and, in one instance, shared with the 14-year-old son of one female TV presenter. This online harassment of women journalists at the BBC is aimed at undermining our ability to exercise our freedom of speech – and must stop."
"Weaponising information against journalists is Iran’s strategic communication tactic. Fake accounts and blogs appear and disappear like mushrooms. Their aim is to manipulate public opinion about me and my colleagues at BBC Persian and undermine our right to free speech."
"We must stop this practice today or it will become the common practice for tomorrow – and not just in Iran. We ask members of the Council to call upon Iran to cease their persecution and harassment of journalists. Journalism is not a crime," she said.
The United Nations special rapporteur's report on Iran published in March noted the fear the persecution had instilled in Iranian journalists working in London and the threat it posed to media freedom and the right of citizens to access information.
IFJ Deputy General Secretary Jeremy Dear, who attended the meeting in Geneva said: "We salute the resolve of BBC Persian staff to continue to speak out against the persecution they face and call on Iran to halt this campaign of intimidation and censorship." – IFJ media release
February 07, 2025: PTV pensioners staged nationwide protests demanding their unpaid pensions, medical benefits, and dues for nearly 400 retirees. Protesters, supported by PFUJ, criticized PTV management for corruption and lavish expenses while neglecting retirees' rights.
February 06, 2025: PFUJ has challenged the controversial PECA Act 2025 in the Islamabad High Court, citing it as an attack on press freedom. Journalists and rights organizations protest the law’s implications for free speech and media independence in Pakistan.
February 06, 2025: Pakistani women journalists like Munizae Jahangir and Asma Shirazi face severe threats, harassment, and online abuse. This article explores the struggles of women in media, the systemic challenges, and potential solutions to ensure press freedom and journalist safety.
January 29, 2025: As the White House welcomes podcasters and digital journalists, Pakistan tightens censorship through PECA amendments, silencing independent voices and forcing journalists into exile. A stark contrast in press freedom emerges.
January 29, 2025: Pakistan’s latest PECA amendments expand government control over social media, criminalize misinformation, and threaten freedom of expression. Media stakeholders and human rights groups condemn the draconian changes. Learn more about the implications for journalists and activists.
January 28, 2025: The Forum for Digital Rights and Democracy has raised concerns over the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, highlighting its risks to free speech, democratic values, and digital rights in Pakistan.
January 28, 2025: The Pakistan Senate's passage of the PECA Amendments Bill has sparked national and international outrage, marking a dark chapter for media freedom and free speech in the country.
January 23, 2025: CPJ exposes Pakistan's dangerous deportation of Afghan journalists fleeing Taliban persecution, highlighting critical human rights violations and press freedom challenges. #JournalistSafety
February 07, 2025 Mozambican journalist Albino Sibia was killed while filming police brutality, and reporter Pedro Junior was shot covering his funeral. Arlindo Chissale remains missing. These attacks highlight the dire state of press freedom in Mozambique amid post-election unrest.
February 05, 2025 The Committee to Protect Journalists urges the Indian government to stop targeting independent journalism after revoking the nonprofit and tax-exempt statuses of The Reporters’ Collective and The File. Learn how this impacts investigative reporting and media freedom in India.
February 04, 2025 Ukraine’s security service (SBU) has opened a criminal case for disclosure of state secrets following Ukrainska Pravda’s report on statements by military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov. CPJ urges authorities to respect press freedom and journalist protections.
February 03, 2025 Cambodian journalists Duong Akhara and Lay Socheat have been detained on incitement charges after publishing a video allegedly showing torture in a cyberscam center. Press freedom advocates call for their immediate release.
February 03, 2025 Explore the rich history and philosophical significance of the Olympic Games, from their ancient Greek origins to their modern revival. Discover how the ideals of excellence, unity, and human resilience continue to inspire the world through the Olympic spirit.