The horrific consequences of hate speech against Afghan refugees in Iran; The important role of media and journalists

In recent months, some Iranian citizens have attempted to deport Afghan migrants from the country. Behind these efforts are several journalists, some of whom write and publish content on social media under pseudonyms, aiming to pressure the Iranian government to deport Afghan migrants. Some journalists and media professionals operate under their real names in social media and mass media. These journalists and certain media outlets have played a major role in inflaming the situation for the migrants. Unfortunately, in their attempt to distort the perception of the Iranian public and turn them against Afghan migrants, some of these journalists and media figures are spreading false information and falsely accusing the migrants – claims that are often unacceptable to any rational person and inappropriate for any civilized society. , apart from the fact that there are shared linguistic, cultural and religious ties, a common historical basis and a principle of good neighborliness that should exist.

In recent days, excerpts from the debate of an Iranian journalist named Seyed Hadi Kasaizadeh during a debate have been circulating on social media. The entire debate lasts just over two hours, during which Kasaizadeh, dressed in the garb of a journalist and pretending to have full knowledge, spreads misleading information and makes unjust and sometimes embarrassing accusations. While some of Kasaizadeh’s statements may be correct, he deliberately strives to distort and mislead the Iranian public with false and deceptive information to provoke actions against Afghan migrants. To understand who Hadi Kasaizadeh is, I visited his social media pages, especially on X (formerly Twitter), and followed some of his interviews and reports. He is the editor-in-chief of a media outlet called ‘Freedom Square’, and in some media he is referred to as an investigative journalist. The language he uses is peculiar; For example, he calls waste recycling the ‘garbage mafia’. However, what he presents in his role as a journalist – whether in this recent debate, in his past interviews or on his social media pages – for the most part has no relation to reality and is pure hate speech. His statements are crude and unfounded generalizations, making statements that no reasonable, adult person would make. He openly embraces racist divisions and insists that “all Afghans are criminals or terrorists unless proven otherwise.”

The Afghan migrant community in Iran, which reportedly numbers several million, undoubtedly contains individuals who are thieves or criminals, which is completely normal. Every society, even under normal circumstances, has its share of criminals and lawbreakers; otherwise the existence of huge institutions such as courts, prosecutors and the police would be meaningless. Regarding the presence of terrorists, it should be noted that Iran is a close ally of a terrorist group known as the Taliban and has no qualms about dealing with terrorists. However, it is irrational and contrary to basic human principles for someone claiming to be a journalist to label an entire community of millions of people as ‘criminals’ or ‘terrorists’. Kasaizadeh has not limited his hate speech and false accusations to the Afghan migrant issue, but has also used aggressive language and accusations in other areas. For example, when discussing certain Iranian politicians he disapproves of, he calls them “political vultures.” In addition, following Israel’s assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s secretary general, another user claimed that an Afghan spy had reported Nasrallah’s location to Israel and called for the expulsion of Afghan migrants from Iran. This user even made up a news story using Photoshop, with the Euronews logo and title supporting the claim. However, just hours before this fabrication, Euronews had published a report from a French media outlet called Le Parisien stating that an Iranian spy had reported Nasrallah’s location to Israel. Such fabrications are made to worsen the living conditions of Afghan migrants in Iran. While individuals with such superficial perspectives on complex issues should not be given much importance, in today’s tense environment these individuals can unfortunately launch anti-migrant campaigns, inciting people against them and making life even more difficult and restrictive for them. Hashtags have already been created calling for the deportation of migrants from Iran.

The fact that people like Hadi Kasaizadeh spread false claims and deliberately incite hatred – unfortunately in increasing numbers – is not up for debate. The real question is why Iranian society is moving in this direction and what the consequences of this situation will be for Afghan migrants.

The claims of some Iranians spreading hate speech against Afghan migrants about the large influx of migrants from Afghanistan are correct. Most families in Afghanistan have had one or more members travel to Iran, mainly for labor and to support their families, carrying with them both bitter and sweet memories of life and work in Iran. Furthermore, these individuals generally had a positive and acceptable image of the Iranian people. These facts are common knowledge. Illegal border crossings are also an undeniable reality. However, as a member of the international community, Iran has obligations to uphold the rights of migrants and may not violate them. Unfortunately, the forced repatriation of migrants and asylum seekers to a country where their lives are in danger is a daily occurrence by the Iranian government. Moreover, it appears that the Iranian government plays a major role in this hate speech. Faced with numerous internal and external challenges, when the Iranian government feels unable to control the situation, it often raises the issue of controlling borders and Afghan migrants to prevent public protests. This has been repeated so many times that it has now become a hot topic, constantly diverting the attention of the public in Iran. Diverting public attention from domestic problems or foreign policy blunders is one of the main reasons why the Iranian government is raising the issue of Afghan migrants. This gives anti-migrant Iranians an excuse to spread and disseminate false information, further exacerbating tension. In reality, this is a cycle in which the government initiates anti-migrant rhetoric, which is then eagerly picked up by anti-migrant journalists and media outlets, who in turn pressure the government to implement stricter policies against migrants. This two-way process has worsened the situation for Afghan migrants.

The consequences of this anti-migrant sentiment for the Afghan migrant community are dire. In addition to the pressure put on the government by anti-migrant Iranians, it appears that collusion between Iranian officials and the Taliban is also playing a role in the mass expulsion of migrants. The Iranian government has consistently shown that if a social demand – no matter how humane or serious – is not in line with its agenda, it will ignore it. The government’s response to recent social movements in Iran is clear evidence of this. The government’s acquiescence to the wishes of a small group of anti-migrants and the increasing pressure on Afghan migrants is due to factors that go beyond the wishes of Iranian citizens. The recent wave of Afghan migrants to Iran includes individuals who worked as security forces, journalists or civil activists in Afghanistan before the Taliban came to power. Now they are being hunted and tortured by the Taliban, and some are even shot. Seyed Hadi Kasaizadeh mentioned this last year both in his debate and in an interview with the Islamic Republic newspaper. These are people who have fled for their lives to Iran, just as they have sought refuge in Pakistan, Afghanistan’s northern neighbors, Europe, Australia and the United States. Deporting this group of Afghan migrants – whether they entered Iran legally or illegally – immediately exposes them to torture and execution by the Taliban, something that aligns with the Taliban’s desires. Protecting these individuals is not only an international responsibility for the Iranian government, but also a moral obligation.

You can read the Persian version of this analysis here:

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