Committee to Protect Journalists: 95 Iran journalists arrested since death of Mahsa Amini News
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Committee to Protect Journalists: 95 Iran journalists arrested since death of Mahsa Amini

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Monday reported Iranian authorities have arrested a total of 95 journalists since the start of nationwide protests over the September 2022 killing of Mahsa Amini. CPJ compiled the list of arrested journalists via inside sources, media reports and assistance from the Tehran Journalists Association. Of the 95 arrested, 72 have been released on bail.

Among the journalists arrested is Vida Rabbani, a well known women’s rights defender in Iran who was detained and permanently banned from practicing journalism. Front Line Defenders (FLD) reported that she now faces charges of “colluding to act against national security” as well as a four year prison sentence.

Also included is Mohammed Zare-Foumani, a publisher for the Sedaye Eslahat, a local Iranian newspaper. The newspaper covered the nationwide protests following the death of Amini, and Zare-Foumani commented on the protests on his Instagram. He detailed in a video how Iranian authorities allowed him to make a phone call before being sent to solitary confinement.

Many of the people arrested are political reporters. More recently Iranian authorities arrested Saeed Self-Ali, who is an editor-in chief for a local news website. Authorities detained him in January, but later released him on bail. This follows a pattern as many of the journalist detained were then later released on bail by authorities.

CPJ Middle East and North Africa program coordinator Sheif Mansour commented on the arrests, stating, “Authorities must let members of the press do their work without fear that they will be subject to arbitrary arrest and detention.”

On April 13,  human rights groups Iran Human Rights (IHR) and Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) released a report detailing the mass arrests and executions of protesters who participated in the massive uprising against the 2022 killing of Mahsa Amini. The report claimed that over 500 people have been killed in connection to the protests, with many more at risk of execution for their involvement.

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