Iranian authorities' scare tactics

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Authorities have devised new ways to try and stop opposition unrest in Iran.

Anna Adams
Interactive reporter

Severe reporting restrictions on all foreign media means journalists are relying more than ever on the public to find out what's going on across Iran.

Most of the memorable footage from Iran was shot by the public on mobile phones.

At the peak of the crisis the BBC was receiving more than five videos every minute from Iran.

But the number of people contacting us has now dwindled dramatically after reports of intimidation and concern about the authorities tapping phones and tracing IP addresses of internet users.

Threats to citizen journalists

Some Iranians who've been in contact with the BBC are now afraid to use telephones after an automated message was left on answer-machines warning them they were breaking Islamic law if they had any contact with foreign media.

But despite threats people are still uploading videos onto sites such as YouTube - which is more difficult to trace. Others have already paid the price of being in touch with the media. A long-standing contact in Tehran had been keeping us across events in the capital since the election.

But this week she wrote to say: "I've been fired from work. I can't give you any more info right now. They have been going into our computers at work and found out that I'd emailed you. Wish me luck."

Struggle for information

Many have turned to instant messaging as a safer alternative to emails and telephones. We spoke to someone who told us they'd been arrested, held overnight and beaten for carrying a camcorder on the street.

With the international media locked out of Iran - it's down to the citizen-journalists to keep the rest of the world in the picture.

As authorities take a harder line it's going to be much more difficult to get these images out of Iran.