GENEVA - UN experts* today condemned Iran's intensifying repression of Iran International journalists worldwide, as well as the growing intimidation of their family members living in Iran - particularly since hostilities with Israel in June 2025.
"We are deeply concerned by credible threats to the lives and safety of 45 Iran International journalists and staff and 315 of their family members in seven countries: Belgium, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States," the experts said.
Several UK-based journalists have reportedly required police protection, and some have been forced to move into safe houses or even relocate abroad. Reports suggest that journalists have been followed, had tracking tags attached to their cars, and their cars repeatedly broken into. Women journalists have faced threats of death and sexual violence on social media and instant messaging services, some receiving hundreds of messages a day.
The experts were alarmed that the latest phase of repression has aggressively targeted journalists' family members in Iran. They have been interrogated, placed under surveillance and threatened with arrest and even death. Interrogators have demanded that family members pressure their relatives to stop working for Iran International or become informants for Iran - particularly with regard to their alleged associations with Israel.
"This campaign is an attempt to silence and censor critical reporting and courageous public interest journalism by a fragile Government that appears afraid of legitimate criticism," the experts said. "Such intimidation violates both freedom of expression and media freedom and may have a chilling effect on other journalists. It also deprives the public of their right to information. Civic space in Iran is already severely limited, and transnational repression further impedes those seeking to expose human rights violations."
Since hostilities with Israel in June 2025, Iranian authorities have systematically accused Iran International journalists of spying for Israel. In July, Iran's parliament introduced a bill that expands the offence of espionage - a capital crime - to include activities linked to information dissemination and media work, such as contact with foreign and diaspora media outlets.
In July 2025, fourteen States denounced the escalating threats by Iranian intelligence services to kill, kidnap, and harass people, including journalists, in their territories.
"This unprecedented wave of repression violates the rights to life and physical and mental security of the journalists and their family members, and could constitute cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. It also undermines their rights to work and reputation," the experts said. "Gendered threats against women journalists have a further discriminatory impact."
The experts expressed concern about Iran's threats to impose unjustified financial and travel sanctions on the journalists and their families, which could infringe the rights to freedom of expression and the media, freedom of movement, and freedom from arbitrary interference in the home.
"We urge Iran to immediately stop threatening and intimidating journalists and their families, and obstructing healthy public debate in democratic societies," they said.
"Iran must investigate all such threats, prosecute alleged perpetrators, including State officials and any other people directed by the State, and prevent violations from reoccurring."
In recent years, UN experts have repeatedly urged Iran to stop harassing Persian-language journalists for doing their jobs, including BBC News Persian.
The experts are in contact with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran on these issues.
