Iran arrests three female journalists amid protests

Iranian authorities have arrested three female journalists in the past two days, local media reports, amid months of protests triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini.

Iran has been gripped by protests since the September 16 death of Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd who had been arrested by morality police for allegedly breaching the country’s strict dress code for women.

“In the past 48 hours, at least three female journalists, namely Melika Hashemi, Saideh Shafiei and Mehrnoush Zarei, have been arrested in Tehran,” reformist newspaper Etemad quotes the Tehran journalists’ union as saying.

The paper says the three women had been transferred to Evin prison, where many of those arrested in connection with the protests are being held.

It is estimated that about 80 journalists have been arrested since the start of the unrest in the country four months ago.