Women journalists under attack

The recent prosecution of Roxana Saberi, a joint US-Iranian citizen, under espionage charges, has highlighted that women journalists are increasingly becoming targets of hostility.

In a single session, closed to public scrutiny, Saberi appeared without her lawyer and was sentenced for eight years. Her attorney was reportedly “too sad to speak” later vowed to appeal.

Hassan Haddad, Tehran's deputy prosecutor, stated that Saberi was conducting "spying activities under the guise of being a reporter." Saberi has not operated as a journalist since 2006, after the state revoked her reporting licence.

The extent to which Saberi caused a national security threat to Iran remains unclear. The case took a dramatic turn last week when the 31 year-old, originally charged with “working illegally”, was suddenly accused of spying for the United States.

The new Washington administration, after much failed lobbying on her behalf, has branded the charges as "baseless and without foundation".

Iran is notorious in its disdain for press freedom, where persecution of journalists or even extra-judicial killings are not unknown. No prosecutions have been brought over the death of Zahra Kazemi, a photographer killed in 2003 after receiving blows to the head whilst she was under police interrogation in Tehran.

This new case follows other recent action taken against female journalists.

In February 2009, a total of four women journalists were abducted by a secret society that practices enforced female genital mutilation. One of the kidnapped was forced to walk naked through the streets.

A female journalist was convicted in Burma in November 2008, again in a closed court, for reportedly aiding the victims of Cyclone Nargis. Eint Khaing Oo, travelled into the devastated areas, in order to help those made homeless by the natural disaster. The 24 year-old fell foul of the authorities once she began to photograph victims made. She has received a two-year prison sentence.

The investigation into the death of Anna Politkovskaya, a Russian journalist killed in 2006, collapsed in chaos in February after the three Chechens the authorities accused of the crime were released. Conspiracy theories regarding her death still abound, although hard facts are hard to ascertain after the Kremlin closed down public information once it became clear that there was security service involvement in her assassination.

Reporters Without Borders reports that female journalists are increasingly suffering malignant attention. “More and more women journalists are the victims of murder, arrest, threats or intimidation,” the journalist rights organisation reported.

The opening up of a traditionally male-dominated profession, especially in the more dangerous assignments such as war corresponding, has brought more women into risk. Although international organisations have attempted to highlight the plight of female journalists, freedom of the press is still disregarded in many countries. Consequently, similar injustices will likely be repeated in the future unless genuine measures are taken to protect those that risk their lives to report the truth.