Source: RadioFarda
The Paris-based international organization, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has declared Iran as the largest prison in the world for female journalists.
In its latest report published on August 26, RSF says “The Islamic Republic is now the world’s biggest jailer of women journalists, with a total of ten currently held.”
Insisting that it is alarmed by a new wave of arrests and interrogations of women journalists since the start of August in Iran, RSF says that the Islamic Republic earlier ranked fifth among the countries with the highest number of female journalists held in custody.
“Already one of the world’s five biggest jailers of journalists, Iran is now holding more women in connection with their journalistic activities than any other country in the world,” said Reza Moini, the head of RS F’s Iran/Afghanistan Desk.
Speaking to Radio Farda, Moini said, “We call on Javaid Rehman, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, to intervene with the utmost urgency to obtain their release and to address the disastrous press freedom situation in this country.”
Iran is ranked 170th out of 180 countries in RS F’s 2019 World Press Freedom Index.
Meanwhile, RSF has presented a brief biography of the Iranian female journalists known to be held behind bars in the Islamic Republic.
Sanaz Allahyari, Marzieh Amiri, Shima Entessari, Noushin Jafari, Avisha Jalaluddin, Farangis Mazloom, Assal Mohammadi, Nargess Mohammadi, Sepideh Moradi, and Hengameh Shahidi are among the women journalists presently imprisoned by the Islamic Republic.
