Journalism is one of the most hazardous professions in Iran. Professional journalists must be free to criticize the state and officials in their media outlets. Citizens must be free to share news and express opinions on blogs and on social media platforms without fearing harassment and jail. But the government of Iran systematically intimidates, arrests, imprisons, and tortures journalists. Suppressing the media and free access to information has been the norm in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Journalismisnotacrime.com documents the human rights abuses of professional and citizen journalists and raises awareness of the denial of free expression in Iran. We also provide legal and psychological assistance to Iranian journalists and others who are persecuted – and prosecuted – for exercising their freedom to share information.

This website is a comprehensive database of every journalist who has been targeted over the years by successive Iranian governments. The Wall of Shame section of the site is a testament to the fact that reporters, editors, photographers, bloggers, and citizen journalists are regularly jailed for spreading important news and for simply doing their job.

Journalists and other information activists whose situations are highlighted on the site can update their profiles, or those of other journalists or activists, particularly those who cannot update their profiles because they are in prison, by sending an email to [email protected]. The messages are moderated to prevent any defamatory commentary from appearing online.

Legal Help

Our team of prominent Iranian lawyers offers legal advice to Iranian journalists under duress. The FAQ section guides journalists on different issues, including arrest, interrogation, property confiscation, and false confession. Journalists can also pose their questions to our legal team or send them a private message.

Psychological Help

Trained Iranian psychologists offer advice and counseling to Iranian journalists. They have also prepared a FAQ on common traumas and mental health challenges faced by journalists in Iran, including depression, anxiety, and anger. Journalists can also send public or private messages to seek advice by email: [email protected].

News

Journalismisnotacrime.com has the most current news on censorship, arrests, incarcerations, and all actions taken by the Iranian government to curb the power of the media and to deny Iranians the freedom of expression. Our aim is to put the Iranian government on notice: “If you do it, we’ll report it. You can’t silence us.”

Events

Journalismisnotacrime.com also works with organizations around the world to hold events in various countries, to create solidarity between Iranian journalists and activists and their colleagues in other countries. Iranian journalists and their colleagues can use these events to learn from the experiences of others.

Language

The site's primary language is Persian, but most content of the site is also available in English. If you would like to help us translate the site into other languages, please contact us at [email protected].