THE BILL TO INCREASE PENALTIES FOR ESPIONAGE HAS OFFICIALLY BECOME LAW FOLLOWING APPROVAL BY THE GUARDIAN COUNCIL

With the approval of the Guardian Council, the bill known as the “Law on Intensifying Punishment for Espionage and Collaboration with the Zionist Regime and Hostile Governments” has officially become law.

Under this new legislation, not only intelligence or security cooperation but also media, promotional, and cyber activities linked to hostile states or groups are now criminalized. Some of these offenses are categorized as “corruption on earth” (efsad fel-arz), a charge that can carry the death penalty, while others are punishable by long prison sentences and permanent dismissal from government service.

Hadi Tahan Nazif, spokesperson for the Guardian Council, announced that after revisions and corrections by the Parliament, the bill was deemed consistent with Islamic law and the Constitution and has now taken effect. At the same time, the “Bill on Regulating Civilian Drones” was also approved by the Council.

This law, passed by the Parliament in July, has sparked widespread criticism. A group of university professors, lawyers, and legal experts issued a statement describing it as a “disaster for the country’s legal and judicial system.” They warned that its broad definitions could criminalize a wide range of civil, media, and even academic or research activities.

Critics argue that the law is part of an ongoing trend of expanding the use of the “corruption on earth” charge against political and social dissidents, a trend that has led in recent years to more death sentences and further restrictions on freedom of expression and civic engagement.

In this context, Asghar Jahangir, spokesperson for the judiciary, had previously announced the formation of special branches to handle cases related to alleged collaboration with Israel, a move experts see as a signal of harsher judicial crackdowns under the newly enacted law.