COVID-19 in Iran: Gaurd breaks female journalist's finger for not deleting interviews

Faezeh Momeni, an Iranian journalist working for a news website in Tehran, was beaten by the guard of a state vaccination centre on May 18, while she was producing a report about the vaccination process.

According to the state-run Etemad Online website, the journalist was beaten by a Protection Agency agent from the Beheshti Medical Sciences University on her way out of the vaccination centre.   

The guard asked her to delete all the interviews, but upon her refusal, he attacked her, breaking her finger. Faezeh was taken to the hospital for surgery.

Momeni shared a photo of her injuries on her Instagram account explaining that she carried out a series of interviews with doctors and health care workers of the centre, but that the security guard told her to delete them.

The Iranian authorities have been repeatedly criticized by the media and experts for not being transparent and responsive about the slow Covid-19 vaccination campaign.

Women are facing several hardships in the Islamic republic, including violence directed at them by men and deepening unemployment in a coronavirus-hit economy.  

(With inputs from agencies)