“dissemination of lies” and what is deemed to offend “public morality and chastity.”4 The 1986
Press Law and its subsequent amendments also significantly obstruct the right to freedom of
expression, particularly for the media.5 The law mentions that publications should “duly
[observe] Islamic criteria and the best interests of the community.” It also provides twelve
conditions under which the press might be censored, including “publishing heretical articles,”
“spreading fornication and forbidden practices,” and “propagating and spreading
overconsumption.”6
These restrictions are reiterated in the revised version of the Islamic Penal Code,7 adopted in
2013. For instance, those participating in peaceful unauthorized assemblies can be sentenced to
prison terms on the charges of “gathering and colluding to commit crimes against national
security” (Article 610 of the Islamic Penal Code),8 “forming a group composed of more than two
people with the purpose of disrupting national security” (Article 498) 9 and/or “membership of a
group with the purpose of disrupting national security” (Article 499). Other criminal charges
include “spreading propaganda against the system,” 10 conspiracy against the State,11
encouragement to “violate public morals”12 as well as satire.13 Similar vaguely worded
provisions criminalize acts such as swearing at14 or insulting15 “the Great Prophet of Islam” as
well as “sowing corruption on earth”16 with the death penalty.
Similarly, the lack of legal safeguards for the rights of individuals belonging to religious
minorities17 18 enables the Iranian authorities to criminalize activities, such as attending a house
church or being part of religious conferences, as criminal acts on the basis that they can threaten
4
“Islamic Republic of Iran: Computer Crimes Law,” ARTICLE19, 2012. https://bit.ly/1RecP6R
The Press Law and its subsequent amendments up until 2002 is available at : http://irandataportal.syr.edu/press-law
6
Iranian Press Law, Article 6.
7
The Islamic Penal Code available at: http://rc.majlis.ir/fa/law/print_version/845048
8
The new Islamic Penal Code was introduced in 2013 for an experimental period of five years and was revised in 2016. See the
most updated version of the Islamic Penal Code here on the website of the Iranian parliament:
http://rc.majlis.ir/fa/law/print_version/845048
9
Article 498 Islamic Penal Code 2013, https://iranhrdc.org/islamic-penal-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-book-five/
10
Article 500 Islamic Penal Code 2013, https://iranhrdc.org/islamic-penal-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-book-five/
11
Article 610 Islamic Penal Code 2013, https://iranhrdc.org/islamic-penal-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-book-five/
12
Article 639 Islamic Penal Code 2013, https://iranhrdc.org/islamic-penal-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-book-five/
13
Article 700 Islamic Penal Code 2013, https://iranhrdc.org/islamic-penal-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-book-five/
14
Article 262 Islamic Penal Code 2013, https://iranhrdc.org/english-translation-of-books-i-ii-of-the-new-islamic-penal-code/
15
Article 513 Islamic Penal Code 2013, https://iranhrdc.org/islamic-penal-code-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-book-five/
16
Article 286 Islamic Penal Code 2013.
17
In its Article 19, the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran omits an explicit reference provision recognizing religion or
belief as a protected characteristic against discrimination. Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, English translation,
https://irandataportal.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/constitution-english-1368.pdf
18
See more: Joint submission to the Human Rights Committee from All Human Rights for All in Iran, Association for Human
Rights in Kurdistan – Geneva, Association for the Human Rights of the Azerbaijani People in Iran, Iran Human Rights
Documentation Center, OutRight International, Siamak Pourzand Foundation, Small Media, Impact Iran, 2020,
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CCPR_NGO_IRN_42317_E.pdf
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