Free Iran’s 7 Imprisoned Journalists

Personal Story

I am a student. For a school project on press freedom, I started researching Iran. I expected to find numbers and statistics. Instead, I found names. Real people. Journalists who are sitting in Iranian prisons right now, not for violence or espionage, but for doing their jobs.

Reza Valizadeh. Mohammad Parsi. Artin Ghazanfari. Somayeh Heydari. Pedram Alamdari. Kianoush Darvishi. Muslim Zarei.

They are not terrorists or spies. They are writers, photographers, and editors who reported on protests and documented the news. And for that, they have been taken from their families, thrown into unknown locations, and cut off from the outside world .

I realized that if I only wrote a paper and got a grade, I would be part of the silence. These journalists have lost their voices. I still have mine. This petition is how I choose to use it.

The Facts

This crackdown is not an accident; it is a deliberate strategy.

The numbers: As of May 2026, at least 15 journalists remain behind bars in Iran . Seven have been arrested just since January 2026 .
The "Crime": They are charged with vague slogans like "propaganda against the State" and "spreading false information" .
The Tools: Iran frequently imposes a near-total internet blackout, cutting detainees off from their families and hiding the conditions of their imprisonment . In 2025, the government even tried to pass a "Fake News" bill that would have allowed prison sentences of up to 15 years for publishing "disturbing" content .
The Danger: The situation is urgent. Many are held in Evin Prison, an area that has been directly targeted in recent military conflicts, putting their lives at risk .
Why I Need You to Sign

I am just one student. I cannot break them out of prison. But you and I together can make noise.

This petition is addressed to Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, the Head of the Judiciary of Iran. He has the power to order the release of these prisoners.

We are demanding:

The immediate release of the seven journalists currently imprisoned.
An end to the use of vague "national security" charges to silence the press.
An end to internet blackouts designed to hide human rights abuses.
A signature takes ten seconds. For these journalists, it could mean the difference between years in a solitary cell and going home to their families.

Don't look away. Sign now. Tell Iran the world is watching.