Salahuddin Khalaj Asadi, a journalist in Iran’s Markazi Province, has been sentenced to 40 lashes by the Appeals Court.
The case against Khalaj Asadi was initiated following a complaint by Masoud Pirayesh, the Director General of the Sports and Youth Department of Markazi Province.
The journalist was found guilty of insulting a government official, resulting in the flogging sentence.
Khalaj Asadi reported that he was acquitted of additional charges, including “personal insult, defamation, and spreading falsehoods.”
The 2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranks Iran at 176 out of 180 countries, highlighting its status as one of the world’s most restrictive nations for journalism.
According to RSF, Iran is a leading incarcerator of media professionals as reflected its continued crackdown on press freedom.
Source » iranwire