Nazila Maroufian Arrested with 'Assault' by Authorities One Day After Supporting Mehdi Yarahy

Nazila Maroufian, a critical journalist who had interviewed Mahsa Amini's father, was arrested again on Wednesday, September 8. The Tasnim news agency, close to the Iranian government's institutions, reported that this journalist was arrested this morning by the order of the Guidance Court on charges of 'promoting libertinism.' According to this report, Nazila Maroufian has been accused of 'appearing in public with inappropriate attire and sharing these images on social media' for refusing to comply with mandatory hijab laws. Tasnim did not mention the location where this detained journalist is being held. Just a day earlier, she had expressed support for Mehdi Yarahy, a protesting singer who was arrested last Friday. According to the Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners, this journalist was arrested with force by government agents at her home in Tehran, accompanied by assault. Since her interview with Amjad Amini, Mahsa (Zhina) Amini's father, last November, she has been arrested several times. After her arrest last November, Maroufian was sentenced to two years in prison, a fine of 15 million tomans, and a five-year travel ban. Despite multiple arrests and assaults by security agents, Nazila Maroufian continues to oppose the mandatory hijab. At the end of August, after posting bail and being released from Evin Prison, she shared a picture of herself with optional attire on her X (formerly Twitter) account. There has been widespread domestic and international reaction to the arrest of Mehdi Yarahy; he is not alone in standing with his people. The renewed arrest of Nazila Maroufian, a protesting journalist, has been labeled by Rajanews as 'clear norm-breaking.' After her release on bail, Nazila Maroufian stated: 'Do not accept slavery; you deserve the best.'