Iran: NUJ condemns sexual assault of journalist
The National Union of Journalists has joined the International Federation of Journalists in condemning a reported sexual assault against journalist Vida Rabbani.
Rabbani, a journalist and member of the Tehran Journalists’ Association was arrested in September 2022 following nationwide protests against Mahsa Amini’s death.
In December 2022, she was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for “acting and colluding against national security” and “spreading propaganda against the system.” Her family informed the IFJ that she was sexually assaulted last month at Evin prison in northern Tehran during a body search. Both the NUJ and IFJ have condemned the 3 October assault and call on Iranian authorities to fully respect the rights of detainees.
A source close to the case confirmed with the IFJ, that an apology had been issued by the prison’s director who requested a change to the search method through an order to officers. Rabbani is not the only female prisoner to raise concerns about body searches, yet the journalist has faced deprivations following instructions by the prison disciplinary council.
Anthony Bellanger, IFJ general secretary, said:
“We repudiate in the strongest terms sexual assault and insults denounced by brave journalist Vida Rabbani, who has been unfairly deprived of freedom for two years due to her journalistic work. The Iranian regime must halt its systematic violations of prisoners’ rights and stop abusing the system to clamp down on journalists and critical voices in the country. All journalists held behind bars must be released.”