UN Investigators Urge Iran to Withdraw Bill Criminalizing Foreign Contact
A team of United Nations investigators has called on Iran to immediately withdraw proposed legislation that could impose lengthy prison sentences for communicating with foreign individuals or entities. The UN's Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran expressed alarm over the bill, warning it would severely restrict fundamental freedoms and further isolate Iranians from the global community. The draft legislation broadly prohibits 'any activity or communication by natural or legal persons, whether Iranian or foreign, that undermines independence, national unity, Islamic standards, or national sovereignty.' This could lead to journalists, academics, activists, and others facing up to 30 years in prison for interactions with designated foreign states, media outlets, academic institutions, human rights defenders, and civil society groups. The bill also mandates prior approval for economic, commercial, and financial activities, including money transfers and providing goods or services, if they in... 
