At least 32 Journalists have Died of COVID-19 in Iran, New Study Shows

At least 32 Journalists have Died of COVID-19 in Iran, New Study Shows

May 24, 2021

Kabul- At least 32 journalists have died in Iran due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a new report by the Afghanistan Journalists Center(AFJC) has shown.

Despite constantly being on the field and on duty throughout the pandemic, journalists were mostly not considered as frontline workers and were not given priority in the vaccination drive in Iran. And now, an AFJC study has found that at least 32 media persons, including many well-known journalists, lost their lives from Covid-19 since March 2020.

According to the statistics of the Afghanistan Journalists Center, on average, two journalists died every month in Iran: Tehran comes first with more than 16 deaths, Kermanshah, Ilam, Tabriz, Kerman, and Uromia, follow with 2 deaths each. Also, AFJC identified at least one death in the following cities: Hamadan, Shiraz, Arak, Lahijan, Ahwaz, and Ghazwin.

List of victims:

  • Reza Yousefi Mahala, state-run radio and television, Tehran
  • Hasan Hatam Khani, state-run radio and television, Tehran
  • Ruhullah Rajayee, 39, Jam-e-Jam newspaper, Tehran
  • Ibrahim Aminzada, former reporter, Iran, Ettelaat newspapers, Tabriz
  • Mahdi Kashi, Spehr-e-Gharb newpaper, 34, Hamadan;
  • Mohammad Hosain Harami, 67, Tehran radio, Tehran
  • Fakhruddin Ebadati, 45, state-run radio and television, Tehran
  • Reza Rashidi Nasab, 63, Sport reporter, Ahwaz
  • Ghulam Reza Jamshidi, 50, Kermanshah Radio, Kermanshah
  • Syrus Borzou, 67, journalist and writer in space science, Kerman
  • Akbar Alami, presenter, 75, former presenter, state-run radio and television, Tehran
  • Mahdighuli Rashidi, editor, Azerbijan-e- Bidar Magazine, Uromia
  • Faramarz Amini, former presenter, state-run radio and television, Tehran;
  • Mohammad Reza Akbari, 35, cartoonist, Hamshahri newspaper, Tehran;
  • Hidar Nawidi, editor, Abshar newspaper, Uromia
  • Sayed Siawash Hosaini, 60, former acting director, Kaihan newspaper, Kermanshah
  • Omid Walad Baigi, photographer, Young Journalists Club, Ilam
  • Mohammad Hosain Noorshahi, 70, presenter, Iran radio, Tehran
  • Murtaza Muhiti, reporter, state-run radio and television, Lahijan
  • Pejhman Mahdawifar, fomer editor, Titr-e-Akhar News website, Ilam
  • Murteza Haddad, Freelance, Ghazwin
  • Batool Ariayee, presenter, Kerman Radio, Kerman
  • Mohammad Reza Hasan Baigi, 69, former presenter Farhang radio, Tehran
  • Ali Akrami, Freelance, 43, Tehran
  • Abdullah Ahmadi Zawia, 55, Fars News Agency, Tehran
  • Shahriar Bagherinejad, 52, state-run radio and television organization, Shiraz
  • Ali Behzad, former writer, reporter, Kayhan newspaper, Tehran
  • Alihaidar Shahhosaini, 56, Irna, Iran newspaper, Arak
  • Hamid Alizada, producer, state-run radio and television, Tehran
  • Mostafa Hazrati, 74, Freelance photographer, Tehran
  • Habib Shahri, presenter, state-run radio and television, Tabriz
  • Amir Nazari, 40, presenter, state-run radio and television, Tehran

The AFJC count is based on information from local media, including state-owned radio and television and non-governmental media outlets, however, the actual number of victims is certainly higher, as the cause of death of journalists is sometimes not specified or their death not announced.

According to the Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign(PEC), at least 1,330 journalists and media workers have died in 76 countries since March 2020, including 9 in Afghanistan.