Kurdish journalist Nazila Maroofian has been arrested by security forces in Tehran for the fourth time since the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising began.
The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned that security forces forced their way into the journalist’s home in Tehran today, where they beat and arrested her without a warrant.
After her arrest, Maroofian, from Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, was taken to an undisclosed location.
In recent days, Ministry of Intelligence officials have repeatedly threatened Maroofian by phone, warning her of possible re-arrest for her continued activities on social media platforms.
Previously, on 14 August, Maroofian was arrested less than 24 hours after her temporary release, allegedly for “sharing a photo without the obligatory hijab and raising her hand in a victory gesture”.
The journalist was beaten and arrested by security forces before being transferred to Qarchak Prison in Tehran. She was released on bail after two days.
Earlier on 4 July, security forces raided Maroofian’s home in Tehran and confiscated some of her personal belongings, including her mobile phone and laptop.
Security officials had additionally instructed her to appear at the Evin Prosecutor’s Office on 8 July.
After her visit to the Evin Prosecutor’s Office, Maroofian was arrested and sent to Ward 209 of Evin Prison in Tehran.
Following the conclusion of the interrogation phase, she was relocated to the women’s ward within Evin Prison.
On 13 August, the journalist was released on bail of 3 billion rials – nearly 60,000 USD.
Maroofian was also beaten and dragged on the ground by security forces at Tehran’s Valiasr Square on 20 June.
The journalist was arrested on 30 October 2022 on the orders of the Security Prosecutor’s Office located in Evin Prison for publishing interviews with Jina Mahsa Amini’s father, and was pressured and threatened by interrogators to obtain forced “confessions”.
She suffered two mild heart attacks and was briefly hospitalized at Mofatteh Hospital in the city of Ray, Tehran province, before being returned to prison.
On 9 January, Maroofian was released from Qarchak Prison, Tehran province, on a bail of 6 billion Iranian rials – nearly 12,000 USD.
In January, Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Maroofian to two years in prison, a fine of 150 million rials, and a five-year ban on leaving Iran.
The charges against Maroofian included “propaganda against the state” and “publishing lies with the intention of disturbing the public mind” by publishing interviews with Jina Mahsa Amini’s father.
The journalist’s two-year sentence was suspended for five years, according to the verdict.
