Iran: CFWIJ is saddened by the tragic death of Reyhaneh Yassini and Mahshad Karimi in a fatal accident

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June 25, 2021- A fatal bus accident near the city of Naqadeh took the lives of Reyhaneh Yassini and Mahshad Karimi. Both women journalists were on the bus along with twenty other reporters. According to the reports, the bus carrying the journalists was in poor condition and crashed near the Islamic Republic's west Azerbaijan region. Reyhaneh Yassini was associated with the official Islamic Republic News Agency, and Mashhad was a correspondent for the Iran Students News Agency. The wounded passengers were transferred to the West Azerbaijan medical facility. Several of the injured individuals are in critical condition. CFWIJ offers its condolences to the families of Reyhaneh and Mahshad and their loved ones. We demand an immediate and fair inquiry into this tragic incident. 

The bus was traveling to Tehran, the capital, from Urmia lake. On its way back from a government-organized environmental trip, it turned over near the city of Naqadeh. Among the 20 wounded, four journalists are reportedly in critical condition. They are receiving treatment at Lake Urmia hospital. After the crash, the commander of the country's traffic police admitted the bus was in poor condition and was not suitable for this trip. 

A Radio Free Europe correspondent for Iran tweeted a heartbreaking video of the crash site with the overturned bus. Golnaz Esfandiari shared the news saying, “Tragic! Two young Iranian journalists, Mahshad Karimi and Reyhaneh Yassini, have died after their bus crashed in Northwestern Iran. They were on assignment to visit lake Orumiyeh. About a dozen have been injured.”

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is saddened by the deaths of Mahshad and Reyhaneh. We demand an in-depth investigation into the devastating accident. We hope the Iranian state authorities will hold the people involved accountable. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Reyhaneh and Mahshad’s families.