CPJ calls for immediate release of jailed journalists in Iran amid escalating conflict

New York City, March 3, 2026 –The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is gravely concerned about the safety of all journalists imprisoned in Iran amid the ongoing regional escalation and reiterates its calls on Iranian authorities to release them immediately and unconditionally. 

A near-total internet blackout and severe communication disruptions have effectively cut off detainees from contact with their families and the outside world, deepening concerns about their safety and well-being. No journalists should be jailed for their work, and in times of heightened instability, the lives of those in custody are at even greater risk.

CPJ’s data shows that at least 15 journalists remain behind bars in Iran. Three of them – Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh, Japanese journalist Shinnosuke Kawashima, and Mohammad Zare-Foumani – are held in Evin prison, located in a neighborhood of Tehran that the Israeli army has ordered residents to evacuate.

Evin Prison was struck during Israel’s 12-day war on Iran last June in an attack that killed at least 80 people, including prisoners and social workers, according to Human Rights Watch. In its aftermath, Valizadeh’s already dire health issues deteriorated significantly.

Since the latest U.S. and Israeli strikes began on Saturday, human rights groups and relatives of those detained have warned of prison authorities abandoning the facility and major food shortages in the wards. The wife of political prisoner Mostafa Mohammadhasan described conditions at the prison as “very bad,” reporting that the facility is now under the control of special counter-terrorism forces after prison officials left the facility. These developments have likely further exacerbated fear, psychological distress, and insecurity among a population wholly dependent on the authorities for its safety and basic survival. 

CPJ urgently calls on Iranian authorities to immediately release all jailed journalists without delay and to ensure the safety, humane treatment, and access to food, medical care and communication for all detainees. Journalists must not be made to bear the consequences of the escalating conflict.