Iran advances law to criminalise contact with foreign media, rights groups warn

Iran is moving toward criminalising contact with foreign media, a step that human‑rights groups say could isolate the country from the rest of the world. The proposal, currently under discussion by lawmakers, would make speaking to or providing material to foreign outlets a potential criminal offence, with penalties ranging from six months to two years in prison. The bill also covers social media platforms such as Instagram and X, which the regime labels as “financed” by foreign states.

The proposed law would criminalise a wide range of interactions, including interviews, photographs, or other content shared with foreign media or organisations. If a citizen fails to notify the intelligence ministry beforehand, the act could be deemed a security offence. According to Moein Khazaeli, a human‑rights lawyer at Dadban, the penalty could be six months to two years in prison for any contact with foreign media, regardless of the country involved.

The law would also affect coverage of domestic events, including the mass protests that erupted in January 2024, which saw thousands killed. Journalists and researchers could find themselves prosecuted for reporting on such incidents, according to rights groups.

Yalda Moaiery, a 44‑year‑old photojournalist, has become a high‑profile example of the risks. In March, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison for documenting the US‑Israeli war in Iran, a charge brought under the espionage law introduced after last year’s 12‑day conflict. Moaiery had previously received an eight‑year sentence in 2022 after the Supreme Court convicted her of spreading “false news” about the protests, but an amnesty later reduced her term. The new law, which could be applied retroactively, has heightened her fears that the 15‑year sentence could be upheld.

The legislation would also target social media platforms that the regime considers to be financed by foreign states, such as Instagram and X, which could be treated as foreign media outlets for the purposes of the law.

Moein Khazaeli said the new bill could push Iran toward a “North Korea‑style” isolation, adding that it would criminalise ordinary academic, professional and civic engagement. Bahar Ghandehari, director of advocacy at the Center for Human Rights in Iran, warned that the law could turn Iran into an “isolated black hole.” She described the proposal as an attempt to sever Iranian society from the rest of the world by criminalising the free flow of information and turning civic engagement into a potential national‑security crime.

Moaiery, who has covered the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests and the January 2024 anti‑regime demonstrations that resulted in thousands of deaths, said she feared the sentence would waste her life. She added that she was scared and that she could be 60 when released after 15 years, expressing concern that the punishment would consume her future. Moaiery also criticised foreign journalists who travelled to Tehran to cover the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in July, calling them “shameful” and accusing them of propaganda.