Nasrin Hosseini, journalist, imprisoned for 'spreading falsehoods' and not adhering to 'Islamic hijab'

Nasrin Hosseini, a journalist in North Khorasan province who was sentenced to seven months in prison and a fine by a court in Bojnourd, was transferred to prison after 'not appealing' the verdict. Khosrow Ali-Kordi, her lawyer, wrote on social media platform X on Sunday, February 4, that his client Nasrin Hosseini was sentenced to 'seven months in prison' for 'spreading falsehoods through cyberspace' and a '10 million rial fine' for 'appearing in public without Islamic hijab.' The lawyer also stated that this journalist 'visited the execution of the verdict' on Sunday, February 4, without appealing the Bojnourd criminal court's decision and was 'transferred to prison.' Before her transfer, Nasrin Hosseini stated in a video message that 'seven months in prison is nothing compared to the costs that the people have paid during the protests of 2022 and previous years.' She expressed hope that 'the fruits of all the bloodshed, imprisonments, detentions, and summons will be seen by the entire nation together.' Hosseini, thanking 'the support of the people,' said: 'Seven months in prison is nothing compared to the costs that the people have paid in 2022 and previous years. I hope that the fruits of all the bloodshed, imprisonments, detentions, and summons will be seen by the entire nation together.' Previously, Hosseini had posted an image of her prison sentence, stating: 'Writing is fundamentally troublesome if it does not align with their agenda... I was sentenced to seven months in prison for writing, accused of disturbing public opinion by spreading falsehoods, just one sentence; dedicated to the honorable and freedom-seeking people of Iran.' The court ruling mentioned that this journalist had also been arrested during the 2022 protests on charges of 'spreading falsehoods' but was 'pardoned' and 'immediately after the pardon, resumed publishing criminal content.' Pressure on journalists in Iran and the arrest of some of them intensified with the onset of nationwide protests at the end of September 2022, and with the arrest of dozens of reporters and photojournalists in the second half of last year, press freedom has increasingly been in jeopardy, more than in the past 45 years. According to a report by Reporters Without Borders on media freedom published on May 2, 2023, Iran ranks 177th out of 180 countries worldwide. Previously, a journalist residing in Iran told Voice of America that the Islamic Republic's expectation from the media is 'to produce propaganda bulletins' and that journalists are pressured due to 'critical analyses' with vague titles such as 'blackening.'