JournalismPakistan.com | Published September 23, 2016
Join our WhatsApp channel
BRUSSELS - The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on Friday condemned the arrest of two Iranian journalists and called for their immediate release.
Sadra Mohaqeq and Yashar Soltani were arrested in recent days following reports they published on corruption in the local authorities and in land deals.
On 19 September, the editor of the newspaper Shargh Daily, Sadra Mohaqeq, was arrested by the Iranian intelligence forces at his home in the capital, Tehran, according to media. He was accused of being an “infiltrator” and “collaborator who worked for anti-revolutionary media outlets” after he reported on alleged corruption in Tehran’s municipal government.
Yashar Soltani, editor of the architecture and urban-development news website Memari News, was jailed by the Tehran’s Second Press Court on 17 September and he is pending trial as he was unable to post bail of $63,700. Local media didn’t specify the charges he faces. The jailing comes after a criminal complaint filed by Tehran’s mayor and the chairman of Tehran’s Municipal Council against Memari News based on an August 23 report alleging corruption in land deals, media added. Soltani had stressed that Memari News’s report had been based on public information and thus the website had not violated any law in publishing it.
The IFJ expressed its deep and serious concerns over the arrests and called for them to be set free without delay.
“The Iranian authorities can’t arbitrarily persecute and jail journalists who are simply doing their job of informing the public. They should stop using the arsenal of repressive laws and its penal code to imprison and intimidate journalists and silence critical journalism. These actions violate the Iranian constitution which guarantees press freedom and contradict international law. We call on the Iranian authorities to immediately release our colleagues and to investigate the alleged corruption instead of the work of journalists,” said IFJ President, Philippe Leruth. - IFJ media release
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 03, 2025: Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.
April 02, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.
March 30, 2025: Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.
March 28, 2025 Turkey deports BBC journalist Mark Lowen over 'public order' threat and fines opposition TV channels covering Istanbul Mayor's arrest. Critics condemn crackdown on press freedom amid rising political tensions.