culture” or “to propagate and promote genuine Islamic culture and sound ethical principles.”6
The law prohibits publishing content on matters, among others, relating to atheism, against the
national security, dignity of interests of the State, insulting Islam or offending religious officials.7
It further limits the publication of material deemed critical of key political figures, including the
Supreme Leader and President.8 The law also mentions that publications should “duly [observe]
Islamic criteria and the best interests of the community”, these broad and vague conditions grant
Iranian authorities with significant discretion to restrict the content of publications. On top of
restrictions applied to the publication of information, the 1986 Press Law restricts the issuance of
license to individuals who fulfil a number of broad and vaguely defined conditions, including
“practical adherence to the constitution”9
Although Article 168 of the Constitution stipulates that press crimes should be tried in the press
court and before a jury, in recent years a large number of journalists have been tried in public
and revolutionary courts for their media activities, notably on national security related
charges.1011 Additionally, while Article 4 of the 1986 Press Law states that "No government or
non-governmental authority has the right to impose pressure on the press or to censor and control
the press in order to publish an article"12, there is no readily available information indicating that
government or non-government officials have been tried under this article.
Such legal framework leads to a generalization of the criminalisation of dissent and criticism
against Iran and enables the Iranian authorities’ censorship and mass surveillance campaign, both
on and offline. Iranian authorities target journalists and writers with harassment, arbitrary arrests,
6
The Press law: https://shenasname.ir/organs/vezarat/ershad/344
See more: Article 19, https://www.article19.org/data/files/medialibrary/2921/12-01-30-FINAL-iran-WEB%5B4%5D.pdf
8
The Press law: https://shenasname.ir/organs/vezarat/ershad/344
9
Chapter 5 (Articles 8-22) The Press law: https://shenasname.ir/organs/vezarat/ershad/344
10
Amnesty International, https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/prison-and-flogging-sentences-for-seven-journalists-andactivists-disgraceful-injustice/
11
Small Media, Digital Rights in Iran, UPR Submission, Session 34 :
<https://uprdoc.ohchr.org/uprweb/downloadfile.aspx?filename=6980&file=EnglishTranslation >
12
Those who violate Article 4 will be sentenced to up to two years’ dismissal from office or to a permanent dismissal from public
service if their violations are repeated.
7
2