Bahareh Shabankariyan, a journalist for Etemad newspaper, has halted her pursuit of the murder case of Dariush Mehrjui and his wife, Vahideh Mohammadifar, following “summons and threats.” Over the past year, this journalist had published numerous reports and news articles covering various aspects of this case.
In recent days, Bahareh Shabankariyan announced via an Instagram story that due to the “troubles” arising from her pursuit of the murder case of Dariush Mehrjui, the renowned Iranian filmmaker, and his wife, Vahideh Mohammadifar, she would no longer follow the case.
According to informed sources within the Defending Free Flow of Information (DeFFI), Shabankariyan’s decision to cease her investigation into the murder case was made after she received “threats.” According to a source who spoke with DeFFI, Bahareh Shabankariyan was summoned and threatened by the Ministry of Intelligence.
In October 2023, Dariush Mehrjui, a well-known Iranian filmmaker, and his wife, Vahideh Mohammadifar, a screenwriter and costume designer, were found brutally murdered under suspicious circumstances in their home.
Simultaneously, Etemad newspaper published a report on thefts involving prominent Iranian figures, which also mentioned a burglary at Dariush Mehrjui’s residence. Following the publication of this report, Bahareh Shabankariyan, the author of the article, was initially summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence and then, along with Mahdi Beikoghli, the editor-in-chief of Etemad newspaper, was summoned to the Culture and Media Court. After nearly a year, mounting pressure on Bahareh Shabankariyan and restrictions on her pursuit of the ambiguous murder case of Dariush Mehrjui and Vahideh Mohammadifar led this journalist to abandon her investigation.