The regime has introduced the “gagging bill” to silence dissent and intimidate the public, yet, Iranians with anonymous social media accounts continue to mock the authorities
As if forty-six years of repression—marked by imprisonments, executions, and even extrajudicial killings of critics—were not enough, Iran’s president has submitted a bill to parliament seeking harsher punishment for what the government deems “fake news.”
On July 26, 2025, the Islamic Republic’s parliament (Majles) approved the bill’s urgent status, moving it swiftly toward legislation. Even some regime insiders have labeled it the “gagging bill.”
Under its provisions, individuals and journalists who publish any news—whether in Iran’s tightly controlled traditional media outlets or on social media platforms—could face prison sentences of up to 15 years.
