RFPI Launches New Shortwave Radio Broadcast to Iran in Partnership with Reporters Without Borders

RFPI Launches New Shortwave Radio Broadcast to Iran in Partnership with Reporters Without Borders

In partnership with Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Radio For Peace International (RFPI) is launching a new shortwave radio broadcast for the people of Iran, aiming to help break the media blackout and circumvent censorship.

https://rsf.org/fr/black-out-m%C3%A9diatique-en-iran-rsf-lance-une-fr%C3%A9quence-radio-en-persan-avec-rfpi-pour-diffuser-une

This initiative aims to guarantee access to independent information in a context of severe restrictions on press freedom in the country.

Daily Persian Broadcast to Iran

Available for two hours a day on 9770 kHz, at 12:00 PM and 11:00 PM Tehran time (0830-0930 & 1930-2030 UTC), this radio station broadcasts reliable, verified content in Persian, produced by the independent media outlet IranWire.

Since April 27, these programs have allowed audiences in Iran to access news bulletins and current affairs reports produced by professional Iranian journalists from the diaspora as well as citizen journalists based in Iran, despite the censorship imposed on the media since 2013.

Shortwave Radio to Bypass Censorship

The choice of shortwave broadcasting allows the station to bypass digital restrictions and information blocking. This transmission method makes content accessible even in the event of internet outages or restrictions imposed on international media.

Anyone with a compatible radio receiver can thus freely access these programs, without relying on controlled digital infrastructure.

Unlike online platforms, shortwave radio is particularly difficult to intercept or block on a large scale, making it an essential tool in contexts of heavy censorship.

A context of increased repression against the press

In Iran, journalists face systematic repression: arrests, surveillance, threats, and judicial pressure have intensified in recent years. Since 2022, more than one hundred journalists have been arrested, and many more remain detained.

Recent protest movements have further aggravated this climate, with new arrests and increased restrictions on access to information, in a context where independent media are heavily targeted.

Sylvain

President of RFPI

Revised Schedule :

0830-0930 UTC on 15500 kHz

1930 - 2030 UTC on 9770 kHz

Radio For Peace International launches a daily program in Farsi for the people of Iran

Radio For Peace International launches a daily program in Farsi for the people of Iran

In a context marked by regional tensions and conflicts that disrupt the flow of information in the Middle East, Radio For Peace International (RFPI) announces the launch of a daily program in Farsi language for the Iranian people , broadcast on shortwave.

The war in the region, combined with restrictions imposed on the media and regular internet disruptions, severely limits Iranian citizens' access to independent and verified information. In response to this situation, RFPI is strengthening its commitment by offering a program designed specifically for Iranian listeners , providing them with direct access to international news and independent analysis.

Since 2019, RFPI has been developing programs dedicated to human rights, press freedom, and access to reliable information , aimed at populations living in crisis zones or facing censorship. Shortwave broadcasting allows them to reach listeners even when internet access is restricted or when international media are blocked.

A daily broadcast to Iran

The program is broadcast daily from 05:00 to 05:30 UTC on the frequency 15640 kHz towards Iran.

Lasting 30 minutes, the program is structured to offer clear, accessible and useful content to listeners:

- 2-minute introduction presenting the themes of the show

- 8 minutes of verified news on Iran and the international situation

- 8 minutes of political analysis and a direct message to Iranian listeners

- 5-minute educational module , offering civic and practical content

- 5 minutes of music celebrating culture and artistic diversity

- 2-minute conclusion

This format aims to combine information, analysis and educational content , in order to provide Iranian listeners with reliable reference points in an unstable regional context.

Shortwave radio: a direct link with the population

In areas marked by conflict and media restrictions, shortwave radio remains one of the few means of broadcasting capable of crossing borders and bypassing technical barriers.

"In times of war or high political tension, access to information quickly becomes limited. Shortwave radio makes it possible to maintain a direct link with the population and to continue to broadcast independent information," explains the RFPI team.

Informing and supporting the right to information

RFPI's programs are produced by an international team of journalists committed to freedom of information and media pluralism .

With this new daily Farsi broadcast, the radio station intends to speak directly to the Iranian people and help maintain access to independent information despite the war, censorship, and restrictions on the media space.

(RFPI Press Release)

Afghanistan: Radio For Peace International and Nothing2Hide launch program to protect journalists and women amid growing restrictions

Afghanistan: Radio For Peace International and Nothing2Hide launch program to protect journalists and women amid growing restrictions

In the face of severe restrictions on journalists and women in Afghanistan, Radio For Peace International (RFPI) and Nothing2Hide are joining forces to provide critical support. Together, they are launching an innovative digital safety training program, broadcast in Farsi and Pashto, and designed in collaboration with Afghan journalists.

A direct response to needs on the ground

After launching programs in 2023 focused on psychological support for Afghan women  and promoting their voices through "Parole de femmes afghanes", RFPI is now partnering with  cybersecurity experts Nothing2Hide. Their goal: to equip journalists, especially  women, with the essential tools to secure their communications and continue to inform in  a context of censorship and surveillance.

Radio, a vital space in danger

With more than 170 radio stations still active in Afghanistan, according to the Afghan Journalists Association  , the threat of closure looms. Local authorities are targeting FM radio stations in the  Khost region in particular. For Sylvain Clament, president of RFPI:  " We want to allow journalists to continue their work despite the obstacles, by  strengthening their digital security and offering them alternative means, such as shortwave broadcasting

Training to protect women and defend their freedom

Afghan women, including journalists, are exposed to alarming risks:  online stalking, harassment and violence. As Jamila Karimi, Afghan journalist and  Middle East and Asia Director for RFPI, points out:  " In a country where even a simple digital trace can lead to retaliation,  online communication remains one of the last spaces of freedom for women and girls. We  must protect them and allow them to express themselves. "

A program widely distributed and accessible to all

Since October 31, RFPI and Nothing2Hide have been broadcasting two weekly 15-  minute episodes, every Thursday and Friday (1430-1500 UTC), from the Issoudun site in France on the  17860 Khz frequency.  According to Grégoire Pouget, director of Nothing2Hide: " Training directly on site in Afghanistan was a crucial first step. Today, we  are moving to a mass broadcast to reach as many people as possible. "

The programme will run for seven weeks, comprising 14 episodes, and will be accessible via:

• Websites www.nothing2hide.org and www.rfpi.eu

• Social media (Facebook, YouTube)

• Major podcast platforms.

Together, RFPI and Nothing2Hide demonstrate that it is still possible to defend freedom and  information, even in the most hostile environments.

(RFPI Press Release)

RFPI broadcasts to Afghanistan - Schedule

RFPI schedule in Persian

0700 - 0715 UTC on 15700 kHz (Tuesday & Thursday)
Prog : Tales of Afghan women

1145 - 1200 UTC on 15770 kHz (Monday & Saturday)
Prog : Tales of Afghan women

1300 -1315 UTC on 15770 kHz (Sunday)

Also check (not confirmed) :

0700-0730 UTC on 15700 Wed Education by broadcasting

0700-0730 UTC on 15700 Fri Mental health by broadcasting

Reception reports to : rfpi@qsl.eu

Afghanistan: Radio For Peace International launches new programs against restrictions on women in the country

Afghanistan: Radio For Peace International launches new programs against restrictions on women in the country

Bordeaux, February 20, 2023

Radio For Peace International, an NGO and studio based in Gironde, reaffirms its support for women in Afghanistan by producing and broadcasting new programs in Farsi in collaboration with Afghan journalists who have remained in the country.

RFPI, which had already offered a series of programs in December 2022 centered on psychological assistance to Afghan women and the education of young girls in collaboration with Afghan journalists in exile, is partnering this time with Afghan journalists who have remained in the country.

Programs designed with Afghan journalists in Afghanistan itself

Produced by Afghan women journalists present in five different provinces of Afghanistan, the program "Tales of Afghan women", reflecting their condition in the country, is designed in Afghanistan itself by professionals, will then be exfiltrated to France via encryption tools and pseudonyms.

The programs will be available on the Internet and on shortwave 4 times a week. Once again, it is a question of combating the many restrictions imposed on the dignity and rights of Afghan women and girls. "Afghanistan needs information more than ever, the Taliban leaders have closed down all organizations that defend human rights, the media and intimidate journalists," underlines Jamila Karimi, Afghanistan broadcast project coordinator for RFPI.

For Sylvain Clament, president of RFPI. "The situation of freedom of information is catastrophic in Afghanistan, RFPI ensures a free and feminine voice in a country where obscurantism reigns". According to statistics from the Afghan Journalists Association, more than 170 radio stations are active in the country. Out of 1075 female journalists, only 163 have a job and only in Kabul the others are unemployed.

Two major media present in the country, the Voice of America and Radio Azadi, recently had their websites suspended, forcing these two media to broadcast 24 hours a day on short and medium waves. In addition, on February 12, the only women's radio station in Herat, Radio Sahar, was banned from broadcasting.

An essential project to offer a free voice to Afghanistan

If RFPI has decided to go further in its support for Afghan women, it is in particular because of the ban on women working as journalists in Afghanistan. The press is subjected to unprecedented violence by the Taliban regime, while freedom of information is a fundamental element for the persistence of democratic spaces. As Sylvain Clament, President of RFPI points out, "One of the fundamental points of our action is to offer a salary and a job to women journalists to ensure their autonomy and dignity".

The first broadcast will be broadcast on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. The broadcasts will initially be broadcast for a period of three months, 4 times a week on short wave and internet, Tuesdays and Thursdays on 15700 khz at 7 a.m. UT, Mondays and Saturdays at 11:45 a.m. UT on 15770 kHz and Sundays at 1 p.m. UT on 15770 Khz in the Farsi language throughout Afghanistan. These programs will also be available for streaming on the website www.rfpi.eu.

Field coordination is carried out in France by Afghan journalists. Sylvain Clament ensures the overall coordination of the project, and the broadcasting of the programs. The latter will be provided by the RFPI broadcaster in Bulgaria.

About RFPI

Since 2019, Radio For Peace International (RFPI https://www.rfpi.eu/) has been broadcasting on short waves a set of programs focused on human rights issues, particularly intended for crisis and conflict areas all over the world: Russia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iran, China…

Indeed, short waves are the only ones able to cover countries with very particular topography such as Afghanistan or to allow communication in war zones such as Ukraine currently.

Based in Gironde, the RFPI studio relies on a small and experienced team, which ensures the coordination of projects as well as the editing of programs in France. Finally, the programs are broadcast by WRMI (Radio Miami International) located in Florida and historical broadcaster of the radio since its beginnings and of several major international media such as Voice Of America, Radio Liberty. The second broadcaster is located in Bulgaria and allows us to cover all of Asia.

(Press Release)