Iran

79 million people
4,520 USD GNI (PPP)
Internet:
Not Free
Press:
Not Free
Not Free

Population and GNI data source

News & Updates

Freedom Alert

Freedom House Condemns Continued Persecution of Baha’is in Iran

May 14 2013 - 5:29pm

Today marks the five-year anniversary of the arrest of seven prominent Baha’i leaders in Iran, who are serving prison sentences of 20 years each, the longest term of any current prisoners of conscience in Iran.  Freedom House calls for the immediate release of Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm, and an end to the government-sponsored persecution of Baha’is in Iran.

Issues: 
Human Rights Defense, Religious Freedom
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa
In the News

The 10 Worst Countries for Journalists

May 1 2013 - 12:34pm

Each year at this time, Freedom House issues a report on the state of global media freedom. The overall findings for 2012 were bleak: Just 14 percent of the world's population lives in societies that enjoy vibrant coverage of public affairs, a legal environment that undergirds a free press, and freedom from intrusion by the government or other political forces.  The countries profiled are members of an ignoble club -- the 10 most serious violators of press freedom in the world.

Issues: 
Freedom of Expression, Media Freedom, Rule of Law
Regions: 
Americas, Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa
In the News

Ahmadinejad's transition from presidency may prove difficult

Mar 26 2013 - 1:37pm

With Iran’s 2013 presidential elections set to take place on June 14, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad must begin preparing for life outside the highest elected office. If the lives of his predecessors’ are any indication for his future, Ahmadinejad’s transition from government to civilian life will not be an easy one.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Democratic Governance, Elections
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa
News update

We Must Speak Out Against the Persecution of Baha'is in Iran

Mar 14 2013 - 5:20pm

To mark the introduction into the House and Senate of resolutions to condemn the persecution of the Baha’i community in Iran, the Baha’is of the United States and Freedom House co-hosted a conference on Wednesday that featured accounts from relatives of imprisoned Baha’is.

Issues: 
Religious Freedom
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa

Signature Reports

Freedom in the World

Freedom on the Net

Freedom of the Press

Countries at the Crossroads

Special Reports

Leaping Over the Firewall: A Review of Censorship Circumvention Tools

Internet censorship poses a large and growing challenge to online freedom of expression around the world. Censorship circumvention tools are critical to bypass restrictions on the internet and thereby to protect free expression online.
 
This document provides a comparison among different circumvention tools, both in terms of their technical merits, as well as how users of these tools describe their experience with them. The countries included in this report are Azerbaijan, Burma, China and Iran.

 

Issues: 
Freedom of Expression, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific, Middle East and North Africa

Programs

Iran

Freedom House supports Iran's pro-democracy movement and human rights defenders as they resist the Iranian regime's surveillance and repression.

Issues: 
Freedom of Association, Freedom of Expression, Human Rights Defense, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa