Today, Sunday, November 17, 2024, at least 11 journalists and media activists are being held in prisons and detention centers across Iran. They include Nasrin Hasani in Bojnord, Jina Modares Gorji in Sanandaj, Saeed Hosseini Nejad in Soume’eh Sara, Shirin Saidi, Vida Rabani, Saba Azarpeyk, Saeideh Shafiei, Rouhollah Nakhaei, Mostafa Naimati, and Reza Valizadeh in Tehran, as well as Azhdar Piri in an undisclosed location.
Nasrin Hasani was transferred to prison in Bojnord on January 4, 2024 after going to the Second Branch of the Enforcement Court in Bojnord to serve her imprisonment sentence. This journalist, who is also the director of the biweekly magazine “Seyahat-e Shargh,” is serving a sentence of one year and seven months.
Shirin Saeedi was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison on December 23, 2023 after being summoned to the court. This economic journalist has been sentenced to five years in prison by the first court.
Vida Rabani, a journalist and political activist residing in Tehran, was arrested on October 24, 2022 during the “Women, Life, Freedom” protests. She is currently serving a three-year prison sentence.
Saeideh Shafiei, a journalist and author, returned to Evin Prison on September 6, 2024 to continue serving her sentence, despite being ill. She has been sentenced to three years, seven months, and 16 days in prison.
Jina Modares Gorji, a journalist residing in Sanandaj and a women’s rights activist, was arrested on Saturday, November 2, 2024, after reporting to the Criminal Enforcement Court in Sanandaj, and was transferred to the city’s prison to serve a 16-month sentence.
Rouhollah Nakhaei, a journalist residing in Tehran, was arrested and transferred to the same prison on February 20, 2024 after going to the Evin Enforcement Court to serve his two-year sentence.
Reza Valizadeh, a former Persian section journalist for Radio Free Europe (Radio Farda), was arrested shortly after returning to Iran by the security authorities of the Islamic Republic. Despite DeFFI’s inquiries with various sources, there is still no information available regarding his current status.
azhdar Piri Sarmanlou, the editor of the monthly magazine “International Journal of Nations Research” and a resident of Karaj, was arrested at his home by security forces on Monday, October 21, 2024. Two months into his detention, he continues to be denied visitation rights with his family and the ability to have a chosen lawyer.
Mostafa Naimati, an economic journalist and researcher, is imprisoned in Evin Prison. Mr. Naimati has been serving a sentence of 40 months since Tuesday, October 29, 2024.
Saba Azarpeyk was arrested by judicial agents on Sunday, June 9, 2024, to enforce a two-year prison sentence. Ata Hafezi, the husband of this media activist residing in Tehran, stopped providing information about her shortly after her arrest. Efforts by the Defending Free Flow Of Information to gather information from various sources regarding the continuation of Saba Azarpeyk’s imprisonment or her release have been unsuccessful. DeFFI currently cannot independently confirm the continuation of Saba Azarpeyk’s imprisonment.
Saeed Hosseini Nejad, the manager of the Telegram channel “Punel Khabar” and a media activist, is imprisoned in the “Ziabar” prison in Gilan Province. Judicial agents arrested him on November 9, 2024, to enforce a 14-month prison sentence.