The Coalition for Women in Journalism (CFWIJ) hosted its Annual Press Freedom Review Meeting on February 21, 2025, bringing together global journalists, activists, and advocates to discuss the state of press freedom for women and LGBTQi+ journalists worldwide. 

This year the event featured renowned Iranian journalist, women’s right activist, and  Nobel Laureate, Narges Mohammadi, in conversation with CFWIJ founding director Kiran Nazish. 

Narges, out of Iranian prison due to her illness, made a rare appearance to share her vision and experience for freedom of speech and for women journalists in Iran. Nargis has spent years behind bars, faced prison assaults and injuries and experienced multiple heart attacks due to the pressure, all for campaigning for her values to truth and justice. In this powerful discussion, she delivered an impassioned call for international solidarity with the Iranian people.

The meeting faced initial technical difficulties due to internet restrictions in Iran, which forced us to switch platforms and prevented live streaming. As a result, CFWIJ recorded the discussion and shared it later via a YouTube link to ensure accessibility. CFWIJ team members Rabia Mushtaq and Inge Snip played a key role in organizing the meeting as Event Facilitators.

Global Overview: Rising Threats Against Women Journalists

CFWIJ opened the event with a sobering overview of press freedom for women journalists. Our 2024 Annual Report, presented by Lead Researcher Máire Rowland, documented 951 cases of press violations against women journalists—a 56% increase from the previous year. The report revealed escalating threats, including physical violence, legal harassment, and online abuse, driven by authoritarian crackdowns and the erosion of democratic institutions.

In her opening remarks, CFWIJ’s founding director Kiran Nazish addressed this alarming trend:

“There was a time when authoritarian regimes were the biggest threat to journalists. Today, we see that even democracies are failing to protect the press. The normalization of harassment, surveillance, and censorship is a dangerous shift.”

Nazish emphasized that women journalists face an especially hostile climate, with many being targeted not only for their reporting but for their gender:

“Women journalists are attacked with weapons beyond the state’s legal machinery. They are targeted with sexualized disinformation, deepfake pornography, and relentless online harassment. These are not just attempts to silence them—they are attempts to erase them.”

She described the harrowing persecution Narges has faced: 13 arrests, multiple trials, and a 32-year prison sentence. Despite these challenges, she remains defiant and continues to fight for detained journalists and activists in Iran.

Narges Mohammadi’s Powerful Address

Narges Mohammadi’s participation was a profound moment in the meeting. The journalist and activist was temporarily released from Evin Prison in December 2024 to receive medical care following global outrage over her mistreatment. With the aid of the phenomenal translator Dr. Behnaz Amani—who, too, experienced persecution at the hands of the Iranian regime—Narges spoke to us from her home, where she continues to receive treatment. She expressed deep gratitude to the Free Narges Coalition—of which CFWIJ is a member—for its relentless efforts in securing her release.

“I would like to thank the coalition, all the members, because I’m indebted to each and every member of that coalition that I’m out right now, and I’m pursuing my health issue,” she said, acknowledging the global network that fought for her freedom.

Despite ongoing medical challenges, Narges displayed strength and determination. She spoke candidly about the Iranian regime’s deepening repression, stating:

“It is showing its inefficiency each and every day by making people more miserable, spreading more poverty, and making people angrier than before.”

She painted a stark picture of Iran’s worsening crisis, where state violence fuels both economic hardship and public resistance.

A particularly moving moment came when Narges reflected on the Women, Life, Freedom movement. She emphasized how peaceful protests have given Iranians a platform to demand change:

“During the Women, Life, Freedom movement, people of Iran could show, through peaceful civil protests, what they want. And what they want is the transition from this regime.”

Urgent Threats and Strategic Responses

Following Narges’ remarks, the discussion shifted to strategic responses needed to combat these rising threats. Panelists, including Karin Karlekar from PEN America, and fellow members of the Free Narges Mohammadi Coalition, detailed advocacy efforts aimed at securing Mohammadi’s permanent release, as well as broader initiatives to support imprisoned journalists worldwide.

Kiran Nazish highlighted a disturbing trend: the self-censorship among journalists, including those in the U.S., due to increasing threats and pressure. Women journalists, particularly those from marginalized communities, are disproportionately targeted, facing unique violations that are often overlooked in broader press freedom discussions.

Reaffirming the power of grassroots movements, Narges called for international support for civil and human rights activists:

“I believe that society should be supported internationally. The people, those civil rights activists, those human rights activists, those who believe in democracy, freedom, and equality—they should be supported internationally.”

Narges also highlighted the importance of women in leadership, urging the world to elevate female voices to tackle global challenges, especially in the Middle East. She envisioned a future where women hold influential positions, such as Secretary-General of the United Nations, to drive meaningful change.

As she concluded, Narges left the audience with a message of resilience and hope:

“It is very hard, but it is possible.”

Her words serve as a powerful reminder that even in the face of repression, the fight for justice continues.

Press Violations Against Women Journalists in Iran: