Iran: Kurdish Journalist Nazila Maroufian Arrested In Tehran
Location: Iran, Tehran
Date: October 30, 2022
Journalist Nazila Maroufian, who covered the death of Mahsa Amini and interviewed Amini's father, was arrested by Iranian authorities on Saturday evening, October 30, in Tehran. The Coalition For Women In Journalism vehemently condemns continued arrests of female journalists by the Islamic Republic and demands the immediate release of Nazila Maroufian.
Kurdish journalist Nazila Maroufian interviewed Mahsa Amini's father, Amjad, on October 19, 2022, after Amini's death on September 22, in a hospital in Tehran under suspicious circumstances. The Guidance Patrol, the religious morality police of Iran's government, established in 2005 with the purpose of arresting people who violate the Islamic dress code, especially women, arrested Amini for foregoing wearing the hijab in accordance with government standards. The morality police claimed that Amini had suffered a heart attack, collapsed and fell into a coma before being transferred to the hospital, due to a pre-existing heart condition. However, eyewitnesses, including women who were detained with Amini, reportedly said she was severely beaten, and had died as a result of police brutality.
In the interview with Maroufian, Amjad denied the authorities' statements that his daughter had "health problems". The interview was published on the website Mostaql. The website later pulled the news. Maroufian, a reporter of Rouydad 24 and former reporter of Didban Iran was arrested from a friend’s home and taken into custody. The journalist is currently being held in Ward 209 at the infamous Evin Prison, which is notorious for torturing its prisoners. She informed her family in a phone call right after being detained. Maroufian added a link to a comment stating that she was aware of the grave consequences awaiting her as a result of publishing the interview. Her comment read, “I do not intend to commit suicide and I do not have any disease that could cause my death.” This was done in efforts to prevent Iranian authorities from inflicting on her the same scale of brutality that Mahsa Amini lived and denying it, as they did in Amini’s case.
With the eruption and rapid spread of protests and the failure of Iran's security institutions to dominate and quash the dissenters, suppressing free media became a top priority on the agenda of the country’s intelligence. Arresting and expelling reporters, journalists and media activists from news agencies due to their coverage of domestic news, predominantly the ongoing protests, was the tactic adopted to censor the dissemination of information within and beyond the Islamic Republic’s borders. Since the outbreak of nationwide protests in Iran, 21 female journalists including Nazlia Maroufian have been arrested. This number is alarmingly high and expected to rise. There is no end in sight for the uprising which seems to only intensify as the days pass.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity with the Iranian women fearlessly fighting for their right to freedom. We extend our support to Nazlia Maroufian and all women journalists who are currently incarcerated. In addition, we strongly denounce all efforts made and measures taken to barbarically oppress and censor free press and the right to expression.
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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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