Country
Iran
Government actions against journalists in Iran
RSF 2026 rank: 177th of 180. World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders (RSF); rank 1 is the freest.
The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.
Iran is in Southern Asia, Asia. The record holds 3 incidents in which the government of Iran, or an official, court or legislature there, limited journalists' ability to report.
Tactics used
- Shutdowns and blocking: 2 incidents · ladder
- Expulsion and visa denial: 1 incident · ladder
- Secrets and espionage laws: 1 incident · ladder
Heads of government at the time
Incidents by year
2024
| Date | Incident | Tactic | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 January 2024 | Iran: journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi are sentenced to 13 and 12 years | Secrets and espionage laws | Eliminate | Ebrahim Raisi | Ongoing (17 January 2024) |
2019
| Date | Incident | Tactic | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 November 2019 | Iran: near-total internet shutdown during fuel-price protests | Shutdowns and blocking | Silence | Hassan Rouhani | Reversed (23 November 2019) |
2009
| Date | Incident | Tactic | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 June 2009 | Iran expels a BBC correspondent and restricts foreign journalists after a disputed 2009 election | Expulsion and visa denial | Punish | Mahmoud Ahmadinejad | Unknown |
Ladders: where each tactic has led · Timeline for Iran · Asia