Democracy Now! Audio

Democracy Now! 2026-01-15 Thursday

10 snips
Jan 15, 2026
Jafar Panahi, an acclaimed Iranian filmmaker known for his courage in creating art under severe censorship, shares insights on his latest film, which reflects Iran's current protests and his personal experiences with imprisonment. He discusses how decades of frustration led to a nationwide uprising, revealing his early passion for cinema despite state censorship. Jamil Jaffer, a press freedom advocate, provides context on the FBI's unsettling raid on a journalist’s home and the broader implications for media integrity in a climate of intimidation and legal challenges.
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INSIGHT

Raid Signals Press Intimidation

  • Jamil Jaffer warns the FBI raid on Hannah Natenson is an unprecedented escalation against press independence.
  • He says the search risks intimidating journalists and their sources and lacks clear judicial justification.
INSIGHT

Policy Rollbacks Invite Probes

  • Jamil Jaffer notes weakened Justice Department rules under Attorney General Pam Bondi made press investigations likelier.
  • He links policy rollbacks to stepped-up probes of journalists and their sources.
ADVICE

Challenge And Limit The Search

  • Jamil Jaffer urges the Washington Post to seek court restrictions to limit government access to seized material.
  • He recommends legal challenges to ensure review is confined to materials tied to the contractor investigation.
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