CJFE is part of a coalition of international journalists', writers', and publishers' organizations who have launched a campaign to press the government of Iran to release their colleagues imprisoned in June 2009 after the disputed presidential election in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The "Our Society Will Be a Free Society" campaign, named for a pledge the Ayatollah Khomenei made during the 1979 Iranian revolution to protect freedom of expression and the press, was launched on February 11, 2010, the 31st anniversary of the revolution and four days before the UN Human Rights Council convenes in Geneva to review Iran's human rights record. In an open letter, the coalition called on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to honor the original spirit of the Iranian revolution and order the release of at least 47 journalists, writers and bloggers currently in prison in Iran in apparent violation of their right to free expression.

The "Our Society Will Be A Free Society" campaign is a joint initiative of The Committee to Protect Journalists, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, International PEN, PEN American Center and English PEN, Reporters Sans Frontières, Index on Censorship, and the International Publishers Association. The campaign will run until March 20, 2010, the Iranian New Year, with events aimed at building pressure for the release of writers and journalists in prison in Iran.

To find out about CJFE's upcoming event featuring Maziar Bahari, click here

VIDEO EXCERPTS FROM MARCH 5

Thanks to Pouya Alagheband and the Iranian Association at the University of Toronto (IAUT) who filmed and edited these excerpts from the event.

Listen to Jian Gomeshi's interview with Maziar Bahari's on CBC's Q March 8, 2010

Read Martin Regg Cohn's article "Iranians free to speak out - in exile" from the Toronto Star March 9, 2010

To read the Campaign Launch press release, please click here.

To read the open letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, please click here.

To visit the campaign website please click here.

To sign on to the online Facebook petition, please click here.