Iran arrests three female journalists amid ongoing crackdown
Iranian authorities have arrested three female journalists in the past two days. This comes amid months of protests triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa (Jina) Amini.
Iran has been gripped by protests since the 16 September death of Amini. She was a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd who had been arrested by morality police for allegedly breaching the country’s strict dress code for women.
Thousands arrested
Authorities say hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed and thousands arrested during what they label as “riots” incited by the “enemies” of the Islamic republic.
Reformist newspaper Etemad quoted the Tehran journalists’ union as saying:
In the past 48 hours, at least three female journalists, namely Melika Hashemi, Saideh Shafiei and Mehrnoush Zarei, have been arrested in Tehran
Shafiei is a freelance journalist and novelist, while Zarei writes for various reformist publications, and Hashemi works for an outlet named Shahr, according to local media. The paper said the three women had been transferred to Evin prison, where many of those arrested in connection with the protests are being held.
Journalists targeted
It estimated that about 80 journalists have been arrested since the start of the unrest in the country four months ago. No details were given on the reasons for the latest arrests.
Read on...
In late October, more than 300 Iranian journalists signed a statement criticising the authorities for “arresting colleagues and stripping them of their civil rights”, local media said at the time.
According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Iran’s targeting of journalists has already:
pushed the number of journalists imprisoned worldwide to a record high of 533 in 2022. Iran is now third on the list of countries with the greatest numbers of jailed reporters. It’s also the only country that was not part of the list last year, said RSF, which has published the annual tally since 1995. RSF said Iran had locked up an “unprecedented” 34 media professionals since protests broke out in September.
Additional reporting via Agence France-Presse
Featured image via Youtube screengrab/ Channel 4 News
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“Iranian authorities have arrested three female journalists”: why is the gender of the journalists mentioned, when it would not be if they were male? One has to suspect the standard reason, that women are still largely regarded as more vulnerable and needing protection by men. If they were big, burly male journalists with beards, I doubt they’d attract the same level of sympathy. Perhaps I’m wrong.
Once again ‘independent’ media supports US attempts at another ‘regime change’ operation. The Grayzone has a good alternative to this propaganda https://thegrayzone.com/2023/01/19/irans-unrest-fake-news/
Come on, Canary. You’re not dealing with a credulous Daily Mail-type readership. I’m sure many of us read a wide selection of world media and have a fairly good idea of whats really going on.
As a result, we know basic CIA regime change propaganda when we see it. But do you ?
If you want to be taken seriously you’re going to have to do much better. Perhaps you could all start by visiting The Grayzone article Madge linked to above.