Following the novel coronavirus COVID-19’s outbreak, the Islamic Republic of Iran has become the third most affected country in the world after China and Italy. However, the Iranian government has resorted to conceal facts regarding casualties as a result of the global pandemic.

Beijing has taken some really problematic decisions in a bid to suppress freedom of the press in the country. The Chinese government has been secretive about the state of governance following the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan city, which led doctors-turned-whistle blowers, bloggers and citizen journalists to use alternatives for conveying news otherwise censored by the regime.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism denounces the legal persecution of journalist Wan Noor Hayati Wan Alias. She has been charged with three counts of “causing public fear or alarm” regarding the coronavirus outbreak. We demand that all charges placed on her are dropped immediately.