The Judiciary of the Islamic Republic has issued a formal warning declaring that publishing certain content, images, and videos deemed by judicial authorities to threaten national security or cause public fear and anxiety can result in up to 15 years in prison, alongside other severe penalties.
The judiciary-linked Mizan News Agency reported on Saturday, July 18, that the directive was issued in response to “the continuation of hostile actions by the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran.”
According to the announcement, individuals who publish material, photos, or footage can face immediate prosecution if judicial authorities determine that the action meets the legal criteria for “spying and cooperating with the Zionist regime and hostile states against national security and interests.”
The directive states that disseminating “fake news” or creating and sharing content that causes “public panic” or harms national security, if it does not already carry the capital charge of Efsad-e Fel-Arz (Corruption on Earth), can lead to 10 to 15 years in prison, a permanent ban from government and public service, and a cash fine ranging from 36 million to 55 million tomans.
Furthermore, the judiciary warned that sending videos, images, or information to foreign media outlets, networks, or social media pages deemed “hostile” can carry a sentence of two to five years in prison, a permanent ban from public service, and other legal penalties, depending on the nature of the content. According to the notice, the cash fine for this specific offense has been set at between 8 million and 18 million tomans.
