In response to growing public protests in Iran against corruption and economic problems, and authorities’ use of water cannons against demonstrators and their restricting access to social media, Freedom House issued the following state:
“Iranian authorities should respect the rights of citizens to protest government policies, whether about the economy, Iran’s regional policies, or the desire for greater democracy,” said Michael J. Abramowitz, president of Freedom House. “The government should acknowledge that the demands for better governance, genuine political representation, and civil liberties come from Iranians themselves. The world’s democracies should together call on Iranian authorities to respect the rights of the country’s citizens, including their rights to assemble and express themselves peacefully.”
Iran is rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2017, Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2017, and Not Free in Freedom on the Net 2017.