Radio Free never accepts money from corporations, governments or billionaires – keeping the focus on supporting independent media for people, not profits. Since 2010, Radio Free has supported the work of thousands of independent journalists, learn more about how your donation helps improve journalism for everyone.

Make a monthly donation of any amount to support independent media.





SPJ Outraged After Execution of Iranian Journalist Ruhollah Zam

WASHINGTON – The Society of Professional Journalists condemns the execution of dissident Iranian journalist Ruhollah Zam, who was hanged Saturday morning in Iran. SPJ joins Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders in expressing outrage at Zam’s execution.

“The killing of a journalist is reprehensible. It silences one but won’t stop the work of tens of thousands of others worldwide, including in Iran,” said SPJ National President Matthew T. Hall. “We want Ruhollah Zam’s killers to know his life will not be forgotten. It will spur us to work more diligently and share more truths with the world in his name.”

Zam’s online work helped inspire nationwide economic protests in Iran in 2017. His website AmadNews and a channel he created on Telegram had spread the timings of the protests and information about officials. Zam had been living in exile in France until October 2019 when he was tricked into traveling to Iraq where he was abducted and forcibly returned to Iran. In June, Zam was convicted of “corruption on Earth,” a charge often used for attempts to overthrow Iran’s government, and sentenced to death for his work.

CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour said, “With the execution of Roohollah Zam, Iranian authorities join the company of criminal gangs and violent extremists who silence journalists by murdering them. This is a monstrous and shameful act, and one which the international community must not let pass unnoticed.”

Amnesty Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Diana Eltahawy said, “His execution is a deadly blow to freedom of expression in Iran and shows the extent of the Iranian authorities’ brutal tactics to instill fear and deter dissent.”

Iran has been one of the world’s most repressive countries for journalists for the past 40 years, according to Reporters Without Borders. At least 860 journalists and citizen-journalists have been imprisoned or executed since 1979.

Print
Print Share Comment Cite Upload Translate Updates

Leave a Reply

APA

Common Dreams | Radio Free (2020-12-14T20:19:35+00:00) SPJ Outraged After Execution of Iranian Journalist Ruhollah Zam. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2020/12/14/spj-outraged-after-execution-of-iranian-journalist-ruhollah-zam/

MLA
" » SPJ Outraged After Execution of Iranian Journalist Ruhollah Zam." Common Dreams | Radio Free - Monday December 14, 2020, https://www.radiofree.org/2020/12/14/spj-outraged-after-execution-of-iranian-journalist-ruhollah-zam/
HARVARD
Common Dreams | Radio Free Monday December 14, 2020 » SPJ Outraged After Execution of Iranian Journalist Ruhollah Zam., viewed ,<https://www.radiofree.org/2020/12/14/spj-outraged-after-execution-of-iranian-journalist-ruhollah-zam/>
VANCOUVER
Common Dreams | Radio Free - » SPJ Outraged After Execution of Iranian Journalist Ruhollah Zam. [Internet]. [Accessed ]. Available from: https://www.radiofree.org/2020/12/14/spj-outraged-after-execution-of-iranian-journalist-ruhollah-zam/
CHICAGO
" » SPJ Outraged After Execution of Iranian Journalist Ruhollah Zam." Common Dreams | Radio Free - Accessed . https://www.radiofree.org/2020/12/14/spj-outraged-after-execution-of-iranian-journalist-ruhollah-zam/
IEEE
" » SPJ Outraged After Execution of Iranian Journalist Ruhollah Zam." Common Dreams | Radio Free [Online]. Available: https://www.radiofree.org/2020/12/14/spj-outraged-after-execution-of-iranian-journalist-ruhollah-zam/. [Accessed: ]
rf:citation
» SPJ Outraged After Execution of Iranian Journalist Ruhollah Zam | Common Dreams | Radio Free | https://www.radiofree.org/2020/12/14/spj-outraged-after-execution-of-iranian-journalist-ruhollah-zam/ |

Please log in to upload a file.




There are no updates yet.
Click the Upload button above to add an update.

You must be logged in to translate posts. Please log in or register.