Who is American journalist Masih Alinejad? Why is Iran targeting her like Salman Rushdie?
Born in 1976 in a small village in Iran’s Mazandaran province, Alinejad grew up in a conservative household where veiling was non-negotiable, even inside the home. Her early rebellion came in the form of political pamphlets and underground activism. Arrested as a teenager for criticizing the regime, she transitioned from dissident to journalist, eventually covering the Iranian parliament. Her coverage was bold and often embarrassing for officials. In 2005, she was expelled from parliament after revealing that MPs were quietly awarding themselves generous bonuses. Her commitment to transparency and fearlessness in confronting the powerful marked her as a threat from the start.
Born in 1976 in a small village in Iran’s Mazandaran province, Alinejad grew up in a conservative household where veiling was non-negotiable, even inside the home. Her early rebellion came in the form of political pamphlets and underground activism. Arrested as a teenager for criticizing the regime, she transitioned from dissident to journalist, eventually covering the Iranian parliament. Her coverage was bold and often embarrassing for officials. In 2005, she was expelled from parliament after revealing that MPs were quietly awarding themselves generous bonuses. Her commitment to transparency and fearlessness in confronting the powerful marked her as a threat from the start.
