Unfree Media - Middle East & N Africa

More than seven months into the disputed June 12 presidential elections in Iran, the trend of arresting and intimidating the country's journalists continues unabated. Tens of journalists, members of editorial boards, and the head of Iran's Association for the Defense of Press Freedom are in detention; the offices of the country Association of Journalists is sealed off on orders of former hardline prosecutor Mortezavi; and many journalists are out of job. But even these reporters continue to face daily intimidation and are summoned by the ministry of intelligence and Tehran's police, are interrogated and are threatened.

During these turbulent seven months, many journalists have chosen forced exile and await a review of their applications by the UN's high Commissioner for Refugees in neighboring countries. Amongst those who have remained in Iran, many have opted to switch jobs and work as secretaries or drivers: but the threats and intimidation still continue. Journalists who continue to work despite the serial warnings by ministry of Islamic guidance, repeated circulars of the supreme national security council, and the summons, threats etc that bombard them from security officials is the subject of this Rooz interview.