Iranian security forces detained journalist Nazila Marufian on Friday after she conducted an interview with the father of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old woman who died after being arrested by police for violating the Islamic dress code, a case that has sparked numerous anti-government protests across the country.
Marufian, who comes from the province of Kurdistan, like Amini, was arrested at her home and transferred to Evin prison in Tehran, the Iranian capital, according to information from the Norwegian NGO Hengaw.
The article with the interview with Amini’s father, Amjad, was published on October 19 on the Mostaghel website. «I have no intention of committing suicide and I do not suffer from any serious illness,» he said at the time in an attempt to clear up any doubts in case she was later found dead.
However, the website has since withdrawn the text, although the content contained statements by Amjad in which he assured that Amini had no medical problems and accused the authorities of lying.
Amini’s death has provoked strong riots and protests throughout the country since September 16. The young woman had been detained by police and was allegedly tortured and beaten. Although she was taken to a hospital after falling into a coma, she died two days later.
The scale of the protests, described as riots by the Iranian authorities, are unprecedented in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution. According to the NGO, two other journalists who helped publicize Amini’s case are also imprisoned in Evin.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has indicated that 54 of them have been detained since the protests began, although only a dozen have been released.
