Reporters Without Borders: The Life of Journalist Hengameh Shahidi is in Danger

Reporters Without Borders issued a statement warning that the life of imprisoned journalist Hengameh Shahidi is at risk. Shahidi was arrested on March 10 and has reportedly been on a hunger strike since that day. Reza Moieni, head of the Iran and Afghanistan office of Reporters Without Borders, stated on Tuesday, April 4, 'We hold Sadegh Amoli Larijani, head of the judiciary, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, Tehran's prosecutor, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, Minister of Justice, and Mahmoud Alavi, Minister of Intelligence, responsible for Hengameh Shahidi's life.' Previously, Nahid Kermanshahi, Shahidi's mother, reported that on April 1, during a phone call from Evin Prison, in the presence of her interrogator, Shahidi stated that 'she can no longer walk and drags herself on the ground.' According to Kermanshahi, the imprisoned journalist declared, 'If anything happens to me, the President, the Ministry of Intelligence, the prosecutor's office, and the judiciary are responsible for my death.' On social media, including Shahidi's Twitter account, a handwritten note from her last writing before her arrest was published, in which she mentioned receiving 'warnings' from 'some media and individuals close to the government' about the possibility of her arrest. She stated that there was no reason for her arrest unless there was a 'project' for the 'widespread arrest of political activists and journalists' before the presidential elections. Reporters Without Borders noted that 'Hengameh Shahidi is not the first victim of the inhumane and humiliating behavior' of the Islamic Republic officials towards political prisoners and journalists, stating that 'at least 10 imprisoned journalists risked their lives in this protest method in 2016.' Reporters Without Borders has urged Asma Jahangir, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, to take immediate action to save prisoners whose lives are in danger. In this context, the map of press freedom in the world has darkened.