On Saturday, August 5, 2023, Nazila Maroufian was transferred from Evin Prison to Taleghani Hospital in Tehran due to “nervous and psychological stress and rapid heartbeat.” After a few hours of hospitalization, she was returned to Evin Prison.
Nazila Maroufian is a 23-year-old Kurdish journalist from Saqqez, who resides in Tehran.
According to a reliable source close to Nazila Maroufian’s family, it was stated, “Ms. Maroufian’s transfer to Taleghani Hospital from prison took place last night due to severe nervous pressure and anxiety. However, after several hours, she was only given an intravenous drip and immediately transferred back to Evin Prison.” The journalist’s family has also been informed of the transfer and the situation of their daughter through telephone communication, as they reside in Saqqez.
On October 30, 2022, Ms. Maroufian was arrested by security forces and taken to the detention center of the Ministry of Intelligence, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Eventually, she was transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin and was released after some time upon posting a bail of 600 million tomans.
Prior to her arrest, she worked as a journalist for Rouydad 24. After publishing an interview with Jina Mahsa Amini’s father on October 30, 2022, she was detained by government forces in Tehran.
The charges brought against this Kurdish journalist were “engaging in propaganda activities against the state” and “publishing falsehoods with the intention of disturbing public opinion through the publication of an interview with Amjad Amini (Mahsa Amini’s father).”
On February 4, 2023, this journalist was sentenced by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, under the presidency of Judge “Afshari,” to two years of imprisonment, a fine of 15 million tomans, and a five-year travel ban.
On Sunday, July 30, 2023, the Maroufian family visited Evin Prison to meet with their daughter. However, since Ms. Maroufian refused to wear the Hijab for her family’s visit, the prison authorities did not let her visit her family or call them.
In recent days, during her transfer to the Evin Courthouse, this journalist was subjected to “physical harassment and abuse” due to non-compliance with the government’s dress code (hijab).
Evin Courthouse initially set a bail of 300 million tomans for the temporary release of Nazila Maroufian. However, they later increased it to one billion tomans. Despite the family providing the necessary bail, the courthouse has opposed the temporary release of this journalist and informed her that she will not be released on bail under any circumstances, stating that “you are a threat if you are outside.”
