CODE OF ETHICS

Our Code of Ethics draws on both universal journalistic standards and the Diwân’s diaspora-specific commitments—reflecting the unique vulnerabilities and aspirations of Iranian communities worldwide. It ensures accuracy, independence, accountability, and respect for individual and collective freedoms across all Diwân content and activities. In a landscape where state-sponsored harassment, misinformation campaigns, and digital infiltration increasingly target diaspora networks, these guidelines guide us in safeguarding our members’ trust, well-being, and moral integrity.

Truth and Accuracy Above All

1. Diligent Fact-Checking in a Volatile Context

   • We verify all information thoroughly, mindful that the Iranian diaspora often encounters deliberate misinformation—from propaganda to rumor mills. We consult multiple, reliable sources and weigh potential biases, including those of exiled communities and host societies.
   • Given the diaspora’s vulnerability to state surveillance or infiltration, we ensure our fact-checking protocols safeguard both the truth and the safety of our sources.

2. Contextual Reporting on Migration, Displacement, and Mental Health

   • Our storytelling about refugee issues, mental health challenges, or displacement goes beyond immediate data. We dig deeper into structural drivers—political crackdowns, social stigma, assimilation hurdles—to provide diaspora audiences with complete, evidence-based perspectives.
   • We acknowledge that facts can shift over time—especially with evolving asylum policies, host-country restrictions, or crises in Iran—and we update archival content accordingly, practicing version control so misinformation isn’t perpetuated.

3. Avoiding Manipulative Framing, Sensationalism, or Inflicted Trauma

   • We refuse to exploit diaspora traumas for “shocking coverage,” resisting short-term sensational angles. Instead, we place developments in historical and socio-political context, clarifying how each event impacts diaspora freedoms, mental health, or personal safety.
   • If any dramatization or staging is used to clarify complex topics (e.g., demonstration videos of phishing attacks), we transparently label and explain it, preventing confusion or manipulative illusions.

Independence and Transparency

1. Editorial Autonomy in a Landscape of External Pressure

   • While we collaborate with funders who share our secular, democratic ethos, we keep editorial decisions and coverage free from government influence, corporate agendas, or pressure groups—particularly crucial given the Iranian diaspora’s susceptibility to external intimidation or infiltration.
   • We do not adjust editorial perspectives to appease advertisers, donors, or political factions. All philanthropic alliances are made under the principle of complete editorial independence.

2. Open Attribution and Collaborative Input

   • We name sources explicitly—where safe to do so—and detail our editorial processes, acknowledging potential biases or blind spots.
   • We remain transparent about conflict-of-interest scenarios, whether they concern diaspora activism or ties to Iranian or host-country political circles, ensuring diaspora communities can judge our coverage fairly.

3. Security and Confidentiality

   • Recognizing the Iranian diaspora’s vulnerability to digital espionage, we may protect sources’ identities if revealing them would invite state-sponsored persecution or cyber harassment. Any anonymity granted is carefully weighed against the diaspora’s collective right to know.
   • We adopt secure data channels (end-to-end encryption, anonymized submissions) and minimal data collection policies, respecting diaspora members’ privacy and personal safety.

Accountability for Consequences

1. Balancing Public Interest with Personal Harm Mitigation

   • Coverage about diaspora refugees, mental health crises, or personal testimonies—especially regarding torture, detention, or violence—can be triggering or threaten safety if mishandled.
   • Before publishing sensitive details, we assess the potential harm to private individuals or minority sub-communities, especially under authoritarian scrutiny, and take ethical measures to minimize damage while serving broader public interest.

2. Swift Corrections and Equal Prominence

   • We correct factual or editorial errors promptly. Where damaging misinformation inadvertently appears, we ensure the correction or clarification is given the same visibility and gravity as the original material.
   • We do not bury mistakes or double down on them, trusting that diaspora faith in our credibility is built on transparency and humility.

3. Rejection of Intrusive or Covert Tactics

   • We do not pay for access to stories, avoid infiltration stings, and refrain from unscrupulous approaches that sow distrust among diaspora communities—unless there is an exceptional, provable public-interest rationale (e.g., exposing a major infiltration ring) and we remain openly accountable for such methods.

4. Intersection with Mental Health and Trauma

   • Reporting on diaspora members who have suffered displacement, torture, or mental health struggles demands extra care. We consult mental health professionals or diaspora counselors when needed, ensuring coverage is compassionate and avoids re-traumatizing survivors.

Resistance to Stereotyping and Harmful Simplifications

1. Combatting State-Driven Misinformation & Cyber Attacks

   • We actively debunk state-sponsored propaganda aiming to defame or intimidate diaspora members. We investigate suspicious narratives or infiltration attempts, clarifying each story’s provenance to unmask manipulations.
   • Our editorial stance stands firm against sensational stereotypes that pit different Iranian ethnicities or diaspora groups against each other. We highlight collaborative success stories that counter divisive tropes.

2. Depth Over “Clickbait”

   • We reject the fear-of-missing-out phenomenon where diaspora outlets chase “viral” controversies, stirring fear or anger. Instead, we methodically fact-check and provide multi-perspective nuance, particularly around complex migration, minority, or mental health issues.
   • We do not overshadow diaspora accomplishments—such as successful philanthropic drives, scientific breakthroughs, or cultural festivals—with negative sensational coverage.

3. Inclusive Storytelling

   • Our coverage seeks voices from women, youth, refugees, senior exiles, and other frequently overlooked sub-communities. We challenge mainstream narratives that simplify Iranian diaspora experiences. Each story contextualizes the wide array of diaspora identities—religious, ethnic, political—rather than letting a single viewpoint dominate.

Distinguishing Public vs. Private Figures

1. Accountability for Those in Positions of Power

   • Public figures—whether Iranian diaspora leaders, NGO directors, or host-country officials dealing with diaspora policies—must be held accountable for their public roles. We report on their decisions and actions, maintaining thorough fact-checking to avoid defamation.
   • We remain fair but unwavering when assessing potential wrongdoing or negligence affecting diaspora communities.

2. Privacy Rights for Private Individuals

   • We respect the privacy of diaspora members who are not in public-facing roles, especially those grappling with forced migration, mental health crises, or financial vulnerabilities. We strive to protect them from undue exposure or retribution.

3. Handling Personal Identifiers in a Repressive Environment

   • In cases where diaspora individuals risk retaliation from Iranian state entities or extremist groups, we anonymize or omit identifiers, guided by the diaspora’s security needs. We never jeopardize personal safety without compelling, clearly stated reasons grounded in the public interest.

Open Sourcing, Collaboration, and Membership Engagement

1. Collaborative Journalism & Activism

   • We see diaspora audiences—engineers, artists, doctors, lawyers, activists—as co-creators. If a member has first-hand knowledge about infiltration attempts, misinformation campaigns, or mental health support systems, we welcome their expertise to shape coverage and philanthropic priorities.
   • This approach democratizes content creation, forging synergy between diaspora-led grassroots efforts and editorial insights.

2. Attribution and Respect for Original Work

   • We properly credit diaspora volunteers, journalists, and community contributors, preventing plagiarism or appropriation. We encourage co-authorship or open-source licensing to expand the diaspora knowledge commons.

3. Local Circles and Youth Engagement

   • We build local Diwân Circles that host public forums on pressing topics—cybersecurity trainings, mental health workshops for refugees, or diaspora hackathons addressing state-sponsored harassment—amplifying communal knowledge via direct membership involvement.

Editorial Transparency and Inclusive Coverage

1. Visibility of Processes

   • We openly explain how we select stories, decide philanthropic campaigns, moderate discussions, or handle conflicts of interest, so diaspora members can scrutinize editorial logic.
   • This fosters trust: diaspora communities know we rely on nonpartisan and secular frameworks, not hidden agendas or unsubstantiated rumors.

2. Comprehensive Portrayals

   • We intentionally feature diverse voices: the refugee mother in Athens, the second-gen engineer in Berlin, the LGBTQ+ activist in Toronto, the Kurdish poet in Los Angeles, the senior exile in Paris. By capturing wide-ranging diaspora narratives, we dismantle singular or sensational coverage.

3. Balancing Urgency and Diligence

   • Even under time pressures—like sudden forced deportations or protests—we practice editorial caution, verifying claims and seeking direct input from affected communities. We strive to be timely without sacrificing depth or accuracy.

Financial and Institutional Integrity

1. Firewall Between Funding and Coverage

   • Our editorial independence prohibits donors or sponsors from dictating coverage angles. We keep philanthropic partnerships transparent, listing sponsor identities, clarifying that they cannot influence content or stifle diaspora critiques.

2. Regular Reporting and Third-Party Audits

   • We release annual or biennial financial disclosures detailing membership dues, philanthropic spending, operational costs. External auditors confirm alignment with our secular democratic ethos, building diaspora trust through accountability.

3. Ethical Fundraising Strategies

   • We do not exploit diaspora traumas to solicit funds; nor do we trade user data or endorsements to corporate or political benefactors. We rely on membership-based stewardship, philanthropic endowments aligned with our commitments, and partnered donors who respect the diaspora’s long-term needs.

Adaptive Learning in the Face of State-Sponsored Attacks

1. Security-Driven Agility

   • Recognizing that Iranian diaspora spaces face infiltration by intelligence operatives, extremist groups, or disinformation peddlers, we remain adaptive. We refine our editorial and security practices as new threats emerge, from cyber-hacks to misinformation spikes.

2. Continuous Improvement and Iteration

   • We invite constructive criticism from diaspora members, subject experts, or host-country policy watchers, using these insights to refine strategies on mental health coverage, displacement narratives, or infiltration detection.
   • This cyclical process of evaluate → improve → re-implement ensures we remain at the forefront of diaspora journalism and activism integrity.

3. Commitment to Iranian Cultural Traditions and Global Best Practices

   • While we draw from centuries of Iranian ethical and literary traditions (“Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds”), we also integrate modern, globally recognized journalistic norms—verifiability, fairness, impartial conflict resolution, and specialized domain insights (mental health, human rights law, digital security).