What is the relationship between democracy in a society and journalism ethics?
MB: There is a direct link. The more a society shuffles toward democracy, the more its journalism ethics would seem like global criteria and standards and vice versa. In such nations as North Korea and Zimbabwe, discussing journalism ethics would sound impractical. It was the same in Iraq during Saddam Hussein’s government. But now, even though a war is still raging in Iraq, journalists can abide by ethical codes in the country. IJNet: Given the current situation in Iran, how can Iranian journalists respect journalism codes? MB: Iran is a country transitioning towards democracy, which is why you can see tension in every aspect of life. The conservative establishment tries to block the transition, but the modern population defies the block. Journalism ethics are one of those aspects. In recent years, female Iranian journalists have actively covered sensitive issues such as stoning and female executions. They brave imprisonment risks to draw public attention to these issues of women righ
