Iran slams Australia’s punitive policy against doctors over criticism of Israel

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, has sharply criticized Australia for “silencing” health professionals, condemning Canberra’s punitive measures against medics who have spoken out against the Israeli regime’s human rights record.

News ID: 2003436

In a message posted on his X social network on Saturday, Gharibabadi described the potential suspension and ban on doctors in Australia for criticizing Israel as an attack on "professional freedom of expression and medical conscience."

He censured the Canberra government, in reference to the Israeli genocide and bloodshed in Gaza and Lebanon, saying, "Spreading hatred is one thing while defending the children killed and hospitals bombed is another."

The criticism came after Australia’s health watchdog adopted a contested definition of the so-called antisemitism to guide its regulatory work, a move meant to appease the country's Jewish lobby. Advocacy groups warned it could silence health professionals from criticizing Israel for its crimes.

According to a joint statement with the federal government’s special envoy, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency on Wednesday announced it had adopted the working definition of antisemitism.

The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (Apan) says the announcement risked healthcare workers facing suspensions or bans due to “egregious and vexatious complaints” that silence political expression about Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon./irna