The legislation is formally titled the “Bill To Counter The Publication Of Fake News Content In Cyberspace.”
But its critics simply call it the “Bill Of Suffocation.”
Iran’s conservative-dominated parliament voted overwhelmingly over the weekend to expedite the review of the controversial bill, which was drafted by the government of reformist President Masud Pezeshkian and the country's hardline judiciary.
SEE ALSO: Fears Of More Executions As Iran's New Espionage Bill Raises AlarmThe bill has sparked heated debate across political and civil society circles. Critics argue that vague terminology, such as “disturbing public opinion” and “content against state security,” could allow for broad and arbitrary crackdowns on media freedom and legitimate criticism.
“This bill represents arguably the most expansive attack on freedom of speech in the form of legislation,” UK-based legal scholar Omid Shams told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda.
He said the legislation seeks to regulate every stage of news reporting -- from gathering information to publication -- through the lens of criminal, rather than civil, law.
The ultimate goal, Shams argued, is to create what legal scholars call a “chilling effect,” prompting journalists and others to censor themselves for fear of prosecution.
Backing The Bill
The 22-article bill sets out specific responsibilities for government ministries, defines a range of violations, and prescribes penalties, including prison sentences and publishing bans, for individuals or entities found guilty of spreading “false content.”
Notably, it allows special committees to order the swift removal of online content without independent judicial oversight.
The legislation also grants the Press Supervisory Board the power to suspend or restrict the accounts of media outlets it deems noncompliant.
Supporters within the government contend that the bill is crucial for maintaining public safety and order, especially given the rapid spread of misinformation online.
They argue that the measures outlined in the legislation are essential for national security and social stability.
In a statement defending the bill, the Justice Ministry -- not to be confused with the judiciary -- insisted that anyone who spreads fake news “that disrupts public calm and, through toxic information, harms public health, the economy, national interests, and the mental well-being of society must, by any rational standard, be held accountable.”
Pezeshkian's supporters attend his presidential campaign meeting in Tehran, June 2024
The government insists the bill reflects global best practices, claiming that “the experiences of other countries” were used to draft the bill. This led journalist Armin Montazeri to quip on X that Tehran likely modelled the legislation after similar laws in Egypt and Russia -- countries with poor free speech records.
Beyond the reformist-led government, support for the bill comes almost exclusively from ultraconservatives.
The hardline newspaper Kayhan, whose editor-in-chief is appointed by the supreme leader, has been targeting critics of the bill, describing them as pro-Western “foot soldiers” of the Islamic republic’s enemies.
The paper even criticized Pezeshkian for agreeing to meet with the bill’s critics, warning him that the government “is not allowed” to rescind the bill. It urged the president to ask critics why they are “terrified of the bill’s passing” when all it is meant to do is “combat lies, rumormongering, and falsehoods?”
Pezeshkian Under Fire
Some of the bill’s staunchest critics are reformists who supported Pezeshkian during his presidential campaign.
While campaigning last year, Pezeshkian often talked about the need to uphold freedom of expression, going as far as saying, “We believe free speech is a right of every Iranian.”
His supporters now accuse him of going back on his word.
Ali Sharifi-Zarchi, a pro-reform academic who often clashes with conservatives on social media, lamented the parliament’s vote for the “Bill Of Suffocation,” saying it “is a clear violation of Pezeshkian’s campaign promises.”
“I apologize to all my compatriots for asking them to vote for Pezeshkian and pledge to never repeat this mistake,” he wrote on X.
The criticism has even extended to the press, with reformist daily Hammihan urging the president not to upset the masses, arguing that it is crucial to tread carefully so as “not to further inflame public anger.”
SEE ALSO: Iranians Decry The Demise Of Republicanism After Cabinet ControversyIn his early days in office, Pezeshkian often spoke about how he coordinates his decisions with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, suggesting he sees his role more as an executive subordinate to Khamenei than as an independent head of state.
That alone makes the administration’s backing for the bill unsurprising, argued London-based political analyst Babak Dorbeiki.
“That means the government is supposed to do things that previous administrations may not have been able to,” he told Radio Farda.
Iran consistently ranks poorly on free speech indices, with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) describing it as “one of the world’s most repressive countries in terms of press freedom” in its most recent annual report.
According to the RSF, there are currently 21 journalists imprisoned in Iran.
The bill is now being reviewed by various parliamentary committees before it can be put to a vote on the floor. If approved, it will be sent to the Guardian Council -- the constitutional watchdog –- which will decide whether it can become law or requires amendments.