NUJ expresses solidarity with people of Iran
As journalists continue to report on protests in Iran, the union and its Equality Council extends a message of solidarity.
The NUJ has condemned the arrests of journalists in Iran, following protests prompted by the death of Mahsa Amini on 16 September while detained by the Morality Police of Tehran.
Over the past fortnight, access to social media and the internet has been restricted, impacting freedom of expression. 22 journalists have been detained since protests began.
At its last meeting, the union's equality council passed a motion in solidarity. The motion reads:
The NUJ's Equality Council expresses solidarity with the brave Iranian women and men who have taken to the streets to demand the end of oppression and discriminatory laws, following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the so-called Morality Police. We fully support the Iranian people's fight for freedom and human rights in the face of the brutal, deadly crackdown by the security forces.
The arbitrary arrest of journalists and photographers such as Niloufar Hamedi, Yalda Moayyeri and many others for carrying out their professional duties in covering the protests is abhorrent and a callous attack on press freedom. The council supports the work of the IFJ and its affiliated unions in reporting on the attacks on the media.
Blocking news outlets and social media platforms, and imprisoning the narrators of the truth has never changed the facts, and will never do.
The Iranian authorities must free all the detained journalists, stop blaming protests on Persian media outlets based in the UK and elsewhere, and start listening to their own people who courageously and clearly are telling them that enough is enough.
Séamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general secretary, said:
“The union commends journalists reporting on human rights breaches in Iran amid ongoing restrictions on press freedom, following Mahsa Amini’s death. The Iranian people have every right to access quality journalism and truths being uncovered by those bravely exposing realities.
“The NUJ once again joins the IFJ in condemning the arrests of journalists and calling for the immediate release of all those detained."