The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned the 15-year prison sentence handed down to Iranian photojournalist Yalda Moaiery, calling on the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic to drop all charges against her.
Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary, described the verdict as part of an escalating crackdown on journalists and critics in Iran, stating that the primary goal of such sentences is “to silence journalists and dissenters.”
On August 9, Yalda Moaiery announced in an Instagram story that Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court had sentenced her in absentia to 15 years in prison over her media activities and social media posts.
According to the photojournalist, the charges against her stem from activities that judicial authorities alleged were carried out in alignment with the interests of Israel and the United States.
Moaiery added that she was unable to attend her trial hearing because she never received an official court summons or notification.
