NUJ backs censure of Iran over targeting of reporter in Iran International’s bureau in Israel  

  • 14 Jan 2022

The union has condemned the constant harassment of Iranian journalists by the country’s authorities. 

For over a decade, Iran has conducted a campaign of harassment and intimidation towards Iranian journalists working in the UK and their families in Iran. This has included death threats towards journalists and their families in London, an asset freeze, as well as online harassment and gendered attacks on women journalists. This has been aimed at both Iran International journalists and those working for BBC Persian as well as other broadcasters.

 

Iran International calls on governments and institutions who support the freedom of expression and who are advocates of free and independent journalism, to vigorously condemn the recent actions of the Iranian regime. 


The latest incident involves staff working for Iran International TV and the broadcaster has released a statement concerning the intimidation of senior correspondent Babak Itzhaki, his family and other members of the Iran International bureau in Israel.  

 

Paul Siegert, NUJ national broadcasting officer, said:

“The NUJ echoes Iran International TV’s call on governments and institutions who support freedom of expression and independent journalism, to vigorously condemn the recent actions of the Iranian regime. The union, together with the International Federation of Journalists will continue its campaign to expose the Iranian government’s action and press the UK and Irish governments and the UN to keep up the pressure to censure and punish states which crush media freedom and put journalists’ lives in danger.” 

Statement from Iran International 

The targeting of Babak Itzhaki, senior correspondent for Iran International TV in Jerusalem, by agents connected to the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, as part of a continued campaign of intimidation against Iranian journalists, is most strongly condemned as yet another abhorrent attack on the freedom of the press.  
Through coercion and manipulation of members of the Iranian community in Israel, actions by the Iranian regime have wilfully endangered the security of Babak Itzhaki, his family and other members of the Iran International bureau in Israel.  
The Iranian regime has sought to infiltrate the bureau in Israel as part of its global campaign to harass, intimidate and cause harm to Iranian journalists and their families. Despite this, Iran International journalists will continue to work in defence of freedom of expression and of the press.  
The security and safety of journalists and their families cannot be guaranteed without a public response to these concerted efforts by the government of Iran to stifle and deny the Iranian people access to information. Iran International calls on governments and institutions who support the freedom of expression and who are advocates of free and independent journalism, to vigorously condemn the recent actions of the Iranian regime. 
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