An Iranian journalist, who had been previously incarcerated due to her interview with Mahsa Amini’s father last year, recently disclosed her termination from her position at a newspaper where she had recently begun working.
Nazila Maroufian revealed on Thursday that her departure from the newspaper occurred shortly after she publicly shared allegations on her Twitter account regarding derogatory comments made by a Special Forces officer. These comments were allegedly in response to her non-compliance with the mandatory hijab requirement.
In a tweet posted on Sunday, Maroufian recounted an incident at a city theater, where an officer reportedly made offensive remarks, stating, “What’s with that outfit? Of course, because you’re [expletive], that’s why you dress like this.” The specific newspaper that ended her employment was not disclosed.
Arrest
Maroufian’s arrest took place in November 2022, following the publication of her interview with Mahsa Amini’s father.
Amini, a 22-year-old woman, died while in police custody, with allegations that she had worn her headscarf too loosely. Her death triggered widespread anti-government protests. Maroufian spent a total of 70 days in detention before being released on bail.
In a recent tweet, Maroufian asserted that she is facing heightened security pressures, attributing this to her status as a “dissenting critic.”
Meanwhile, the two journalists who contributed to revealing the circumstances surrounding Amini’s death, Elaheh Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi, are presently undergoing trial in Iran. Iranian authorities have alleged that the two journalists are facing charges related to collaborating with the United States, acting against national security, and generating “propaganda against the system.” However, a U.S. State Department spokesperson refuted these allegations, dismissing claims of collaboration with the United States.
Sham trials
Regarding the matter, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller commented, “Sham trials and executions have been key components of the (Iranian) regime’s attempt to suppress any form of dissent,” in response to a question from VOA.
According to the World Press Freedom Index 2023, which was released by Reporters Without Borders on May 3 to coincide with World Press Freedom Day, Iran is ranked as one of the world’s least favorable countries for press freedom.
It occupies the 177th position out of 180 nations included in the global assessments of press freedom, with only Vietnam, China, and North Korea ranked lower.