Manijeh Moazen (منیژه موذن), a journalist and translator, has been dismissed from the economic outlet “Eco Iran” (اکو ایران) due to her choice of optional attire and refusal to comply with mandatory hijab rules.
In a post on her X (formerly Twitter) account, Moazen wrote: “I have been laid off (dismissed) from Eco Iran / Donya-e Eqtesad media on the orders of the managing director, Mr. Alireza Bakhtiari, because I did not comply with the mandatory hijab as per his preference.”
She further emphasized in the same post that during her one and a half years working at Eco Iran, she repeatedly faced insults and reprimands due to her choice of non-compulsory covering.
The imposition of mandatory hijab and interference in the dress style of female journalists remains a recurrent issue in Iran. This practice creates double discrimination and significantly disrupts the professional activities of Iranian women journalists.
Moazen lost her job amid a period when many journalists in Iran are facing severe disruptions to their work due to nationwide internet shutdowns, as well as intensified judicial and security crackdowns.
According to reports from NetBlocks, the global internet observatory, on the 20th day since the onset of the internet disruption in Iran, connectivity had risen to 84%. However, internet access has not yet returned to normal levels, and citizens still require VPNs (filter-breakers) to reach international websites and social media platforms.
Iran recently endured approximately 20 days of what has been described as the most unprecedented information blackout in the history of the Islamic Republic. Starting in the early days of 2026, amid the widespread outbreak of anti-government protests across the country, the Iranian authorities launched a new wave of judicial and security measures targeting journalists, media outlets, and independent narrators. This included a complete severance of international internet access and extensive disruptions to domestic communication networks, including mobile phones.
According to the annual report by the Defending Free Flow of Information Organization (DeFFI), Iranian journalists and media outlets are experiencing an unprecedented period of security pressures, judicial actions, and deliberate interference in professional activities — conditions the organization has characterized as a “military deployment against the free flow of information.” Per the report, in 2025 alone, at least 225 journalists or media entities faced judicial or security actions; 25 journalists or media managing directors were collectively sentenced to more than 30 years in prison and 293 million tomans in fines; at least 148 new judicial cases were opened against journalists and media outlets; and eight media organizations were shut down.