Crackdown on Freedom of Expression Under Pretext of Wartime Conditions: Citizen Arrested Over Satirical Content
19-June-2025
Category: Arrests، Freedom of Expression
19 June 2025
News Category: Freedom of Expression – Arrests
Breathing in Confinement – On Tuesday, 17 June 2025, a resident of Behbahan was arrested for publishing a satirical video related to the Israeli attack.
According to Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, Ali Shahbazi, a Behbahan resident, was arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location for posting a satirical video about the recent Israeli attacks.
Breathing in Confinement reports that this arrest is part of a broader new wave of restrictions on freedom of expression and repression of online spaces, which authorities are justifying under the guise of “wartime conditions.”
Following recent Israeli airstrikes, officials of the Islamic Republic have warned, citing security concerns, that any publication of content deemed to “disrupt public order” or “disturb public opinion” will face legal consequences. This has raised alarm among human rights organisations about a growing crackdown on civil liberties, particularly the right to freedom of expression.
Breathing in Confinement expressed concern over the increasing violation of citizens’ fundamental rights, stating that the arrest of individuals for expressing opinions or publishing satirical content—especially regarding political and wartime matters—is contrary to established human rights principles and a blatant violation of freedom of expression.