Niloofar Hamedi “The Voice for The Voiceless”

Journalism creates accessible information for the public, it allows people to be involved with not only their local and national news, but also international news. Here in the U.S we have “freedom of the press.” this allows journalists to report freely on events even if it is on you at your own government with no censorship and no risk of being arrested. It is extremely important for every journalist around the world to be free to report on any event. Without Journalism we might never here about a devastating earthquake or government protest on the other side of the world. It is a journalist’s job to reveal the truth. Sadley not every country allows freedom of the press.

Niloofar Hamedi is an Iranian Journalist who reports on political events and government wrongdoing in Iran. According to the Commitee to Protect Journalists, Iran is Ranked 7 on top 10 most censored countries by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Hamedi was the journalist who first broke the news of Masha Amini’s death. Amini had been detained by the morality police for breaking the modesty dress code and later died, according to the morality police, of a heart attack while being held in Evan prison. Iran has mandatory hijab and modesty laws that women can be imprisoned for.  The death of Masha Amini started a nationwide government protest in Iran. the people of Iran were outraged over the actions of the Iran government, the morality police and the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Over 14,000 people were arrested in Iran for protesting and many might face execution.

The journalists who wrote the stories of Masha for the whole world to know were among those arrested. This is not an uncommon thing to happen in Iran. In 2019 Yashar Soltani was arrested on ani- state charges for publishing articles regarding corruption in Tehran land deals. Iran is not the only country with this issue, in Turkmenistan Soltan Achilova had been detained and assaulted by police for their journalism. Truong Duy Nhat, who writes on the government of Vietnam, went missing in Thailand and was later found in a prison in Vietnam. In April 2019 Jesus Quinones was detained while covering a trial in Cuba and was assaulted while on the way to prison. These are just a couple examples of what happens to journalists who speak up and write the truth in countries with high censorship.

If it weren’t for Niloofar Hamedi taking the moving photo of Masha Amini’s parent hugging in the hospital and publishing a story on her death, the whole world might not have heard about it, the protests might never have started. Niloofar Hamedi was arrested for the articles she published, but her bravery and dedication to tell the truth brought some justice for Masha Amini. Hamedi sets the perfect example for journalists all over the world to stick to the truth and bring light to wrongdoings on people by their own country. For journalists in Iran and so many other countries his carrier can be a crime.