Iran: Two female journalists charged with 'propaganda'

Two Iranian journalists, who have been detained for more than a month, are accused of "propaganda" against the Islamic Republic, amid protests that have been ongoing since mid-September.

Iran is the scene of a protest movement that erupted with the death on September 16 of Mahsha Amini, a young woman who had been arrested three days earlier by the morality police, who accused her of violating the Islamic Republic's dress code, which imposes the Islamic headscarf in public places.

Niloufar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi "are being held in temporary custody for propaganda against the system and conspiracy to act against national security," Justice spokesman Masoud Setagesi said at a weekly press conference in Tehran.

30-year-old photojournalist Niloufar Hamedi, who was arrested on September 20 and works for the Sarg newspaper, had gone to the hospital where Mahsa Amini was in a coma before she died.

35-year-old Elaheh Mohammadi, a journalist for Ham Mihan newspaper, was arrested on September 29. He had gone to the city of Sayez, in Kurdistan province, to cover the young woman's funeral, and in that city one of the first demonstrations had taken place.

The reformist newspaper Sazantegi reported at the end of October that "more than 20 journalists are still in detention", mainly in Tehran, but also in other cities. Others have been summoned to appear before the authorities, the newspaper added.

More than 300 Iranian journalists and photojournalists criticized the authorities on October 30 for "arresting colleagues and depriving them of their rights", notably "access to their lawyers".

Dozens of people, mainly protesters, but also members of the security forces, have been killed since the beginning of the mobilizations. Hundreds more, including women, have been arrested.

Source: RES-EAP