In a joint statement, the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) have condemned the Iranian government’s efforts “to silence independent media in Iran.”
In a statement released Saturday, the two media bodies point to the recent arrest of “several documentary makers on vague and unfounded accusations of collaborating with BBC Persian,” noting that the arrests coincide with the airing of a documentary on BBC Persian television about Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.
Islamic Republic authorities have confirmed the arrest of a number of filmmakers charged with collaborating with the Persian BBC.
The BBC has in turn announced that it has no employees or collaborators in Iran.
The announcement goes on to accuse Iranian authorities of “arbitrary practices that have included satellite jamming; continuous Internet disruption; the intimidation of journalists, government critics and online activists; and aggressive hacking practices.”
They maintain that the Iranian government’s practices “thwart independent media” and are a blatant violation of international standards.
The Islamic Republic consistently jams Persian-language radio and television broadcasts from outside Iran.
