US Slams Tehran's Silencing of Exiled Journalists, Especially Iran International

The United States ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council has expressed concern over Iranian transnational repression targeting media outlets, particularly Iran International.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Michèle Taylor condemned attempts to silence journalists “through physical harm, unlawful surveillance, including with commercial spyware, and forced exile.”

The statement addressed the concerns raised by Irene Khan, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression. Khan documented an alarming rise in journalists being forced into exile and facing violence. The trend, she argued, coincides with the worldwide growth of authoritarianism and suppression of media freedoms.

Unfortunately, exile does not guarantee journalists' safety. Taylor emphasized the urgent need for more significant support for journalists in exile, highlighting their exposure to grave risks such as assassination attempts, assaults, enforced disappearances, and retaliation against their families. She also underscored the escalating use of digital transnational repression in recent years.

The report comes less than three months after Iran International TV host Pouria Zeraati survived a stabbing outside his London residence as he left for work, sustaining leg injuries. Shortly following the incident, the London Metropolitan Police announced that due to prior threats targeting journalists in Persian-language media, the case was assigned to specialized officers from the Met's counter-terrorism division.

Iran International has faced relentless threats from the Iranian government, with numerous journalists facing grave threats in 2022 and 2023. In March, a leaked document disclosed that Tehran’s Revolutionary Court had convicted 44 foreign-based journalists and media activists in absentia two years earlier on "propaganda against the government," including Aliasghar Ramezanpour, executive editor of Iran International.

In 2022, escalating threats prompted Iran International to relocate its offices temporarily from London to Washington, as domestic security services could no longer guarantee the safety of its staff. Shortly before the incident, Iran's intelligence minister labeled Iran International a terrorist organization, opening the door to further actions against the network and its journalists.

In May, Iran International was honored with the 2024 Geneva Summit Courage Award for its fearless reporting on the daily abuses of the Islamic Republic of Iran.