TEHRAN (BNO NEWS) — Iranian authorities have arrested six Iranian nationals allegedly working for the Farsi-language service of the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC), the corporation reported on Monday.
According to Iranian state-run media, the group of six filmmakers were paid to make secret reports for the BBC Persian service, which is banned in the country. The BBC denied the reports in a statement, saying none of the six filmmakers was a BBC staff member.
“The individuals in question are independent documentary film-makers whose films have been screened in festivals and other venues internationally,” the BBC said in a statement. “As is common practice for the channel’s documentary showcase program, BBC Persian television bought the rights to broadcast these films.”
The arrests came a day after the service showed a documentary on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. The BBC’s James Reynolds says the channel’s signal, which is sometimes accessible inside Iran, was disrupted during the broadcast.
According to Reporters Without Borders, Iran is one of the worst countries in the world in regards to press freedom. Only Turkmenistan, North Korea, and Eritrea are considered to be worse environments for journalists.
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