October 21, 2024 - Iran, Tehran

Women Press Freedom strongly condemns the recent imposition of additional six-month prison sentences on Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi and  Pakhshan Azizi for their courageous protest against the execution of Reza Rasaei in August. This punitive action exemplifies the Iranian regime's relentless crackdown on dissent and its systematic efforts to suppress free expression.

Mohammadi has faced ongoing oppression from the Iranian regime due to her advocacy against human rights abuses in the country. She has been imprisoned for nearly two decades on false charges, as Women Press Freedom has documented.

Azizi, a journalist and political detainee, is currently serving a four-year prison sentence. She was sentenced to death on July 23, 2024, for her alleged involvement in an armed rebellion.

We recognize that the sentences handed down to Mohammadi and Azizi are not just an attack on them as individuals, but a broader assault on press freedom and the rights of all journalists in Iran. Their protests were acts of bravery in the face of injustice, and punishing them for speaking out only serves to further intimidate those who dare to challenge the status quo.

Women Press Freedom calls on international bodies to exert pressure on the Iranian government to halt its ongoing violations of press freedom. We demand the immediate release and complete exoneration of Narges Mohammadi, Pakhshan Azizi, and all journalists unjustly imprisoned in Iran. It is imperative that the global community stands in solidarity with those who fight for truth and justice, and holds the Iranian regime accountable for its oppressive actions.