New restrictions on social media in Iran

The Tehran Prosecutor's Office has filed criminal charges against individuals accused of "creating fear to harm the psychological security of society" and "spreading lies" on social media, state media reported on Friday.

Iranian citizens lack the freedom of speech enjoyed in democratic countries. Without independent courts, the government and its judiciary can interpret laws or issue regulations with minimal accountability, particularly on political or religious matters.

According to the Iranian judiciary’s Mizan News Agency, in recent days, certain social media accounts on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and other online activists have been involved in spreading such content. However, no concrete examples or clear definitions of "false news" or "creating fear" have been provided. Some individuals have faced legal action, while others have been warned following monitoring of online activities, Mizan reported.

A notable example of narrative control and pressure on free expression occurred in August when blogger Hossein Shanbehzadeh was sentenced to 12 years in prison for posting a single dot in response to a tweet by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. His post, which received more likes than Khamenei’s tweet, resulted in his arrest weeks later.