Death threats for Iranian journalist

Oxford Mail, An Iranian journalist who fled to Oxfordshire 18 months ago has received two death threats.

Masih Alinejad, 34, who has been critical of her country’s regime, said she had been advised by police to move house and change her movements following two threats last week.

The first came last Monday when she received a phone call from a man she believed was in Iran.

She said: “The caller said: ‘We are going to kill you and we don’t care where you live; don’t think you live in a safe place. We are going to kill you in a way no one will find out’.”

She added: “It’s scary because I’m a single mum. It’s intimidating and I feel very insecure.

“I believe that they don’t want to hurt me, they just want to stop me doing what I’m doing.”

A day later she received an email saying she would ‘fall on her cross soon’. It also made sexual threats. She believes the sender was European because of the language used.

The threats came days after the publication of an interview she conducted with Iranian presidential challenger Mehdi Karroub, who is under house arrest.

The piece was published on an American political website called enduringamerica.com.

The 34-year-old, who would not reveal her address for fear of being traced, said she was considered a dangerous political activist and troublemaker in her homeland.

State television IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) branded her an “ugly duckling” and alleged she was supported by western governments to encourage Iranian dissent, she said.

Earlier this month, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed to punish protest organisers after thousands took to the streets for a banned rally which led to clashes with security forces.

Two people were killed and dozens were injured.

Last night, Miss Alinejad, who has a 15-year-old son, said she was living in fear, but was determined to continue reporting what she said was “the truth” about events in her home country.

She said British police were trying to trace the email and phone calls, and had fitted her house with a panic alarm.

Miss Alinejad said she was forced to flee after the 2009 presidential elections when her coverage in reformist newspaper Etemad-e Melli saw her intimidated by state supporters.

Her car was vandalised and her press card crushed beneath her car wheel as a threat.

She said: “I can’t say that I’m not scared, but it has given me more courage to carry on doing what I’m doing. I have spent all my life reporting on the lack of security of others and now I am a victim myself I feel people should know.”

Police spokesman Christopher Kearney declined to comment.