Iran Bans Online Debate Show Over ‘False Information’

Iran’s judiciary has banned a YouTube debate programme, Azad, from broadcasting after accusing the channel of spreading false information and violating the country’s media regulations.

Iran’s judiciary said it had opened an investigation into the channel following the broadcast of an episode containing what authorities described as “false information”.

According to Mizan Online, the judiciary’s news outlet, Azad was considered an unauthorised media organisation because it did not have an official licence from the Ministry of Culture, which oversees media activities in the country.

The judiciary subsequently issued an order prohibiting the channel’s director from carrying out media activities until a licence is obtained.

It also accused the channel of committing several violations during its operations.

The programme’s founder and presenter, Mehdi Ahmadi, said he was questioned on Sunday and Monday and charged with disseminating false information.

He said he had been released on bail but that the Azad channel had been prohibited from broadcasting interviews until further notice.

The YouTube channel, which has nearly 160,000 subscribers, regularly features debates on issues including the Iran-US conflict, sexual violence, the economy, philosophy and other social matters.

Its guests have included figures from different parts of Iran’s political spectrum, including opposition figures living abroad who have openly criticised the Islamic Republic’s policies.

The development comes amid tighter restrictions on media coverage in Iran following the US-Israeli attacks of February 28, which triggered the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Iran has long maintained strict controls over media activities, with journalists required to obtain official authorisation and licences to operate.

YouTube and several other social media platforms have also been blocked in the country for years, forcing many users to rely on virtual private networks to access them.