23-Year-Old Journalist Who Covered Mahsa Amini Arrested and Beaten

Iranian journalist Nazila Maroofian, 23, was arrested again on Wednesday, August 30, this time at her home in Tehran, IranWire reports.

The arrest was carried out by a group of security agents who violently entered her home and broke down the door. According to accounts from neighbors, security forces also subjected Maroofian to a severe beating during the arrest. 

The reasons for her arrest are still unclear, but it is believed to be related to her work as a journalist.

Maroofian has been a vocal critic of the Iranian government and has written extensively about human rights abuses in the country. 

She was previously arrested in 2022, following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini. Maroofian had interviewed Amini's father and her reporting on the case led to her arrest.

In recent months, Maroofian has also written about cases of sexual assault on female inmates in Iran. Her reporting on this issue has led to her being targeted by the government.

The arrest of Maroofian is the latest in a series of crackdowns on journalists and activists in Iran. 

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a media freedom NGO, Iranian authorities have arrested at least 95 journalists since September 2022, when the death in morality police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini sparked nationwide protests.

Known for its harsh internet censorship, which includes banning thousands of websites, the Islamic Republic has periodically suppressed or cut internet access for most Iranians to prevent them from accessing and disseminating information online and from safe online communications.