Iranian Writers Group Marks Day Against Censorship

The Iranian Writers Association has designated today as a Day Against Censorship.

All forms of media in Iran  -- including print, television, radio, and the Internet, as well as film and gallery exhibitions -- are subject to censorship by the Iranian government.

Fearing possible reprisals, most Iranian journalists opt for self-censorship.

To mark the Day Against Censorship, RFE/RL's Radio Farda interviewed writers, artists, and intellectuals in Iran to find out how censorship has affected their lives.

Kurosh Danishyar, a student from Tehran’s Amir Kabir University, told RFE/RL that authorities have even closed student publications that were critical of government policies.

Iranian-born filmmaker Nahid Persson, the director of documentaries such as "Prostitution Behind the Veil" and "Four Wives -- One Man," says she was briefly imprisoned for what she calls "trying to show the plights and problems Iranians face in their everyday lives."

Iranian authorities accused Persson of having shamed her native country.

The filmmaker said she had to leave Iran because authorities do not tolerate criticism.