Two Iranian journalists covering the women's soccer World Cup in Australia do not plan to return to their home country and will seek asylum abroad, Iran-based online portal Eslahat News reported on August 5. Eslahat News, known to have ties to Iran's reform movement, said one of them confirmed the decision in an interview. Since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was arrested by the notorious morality police for wearing a hijab "improperly," Iranians have flooded into the streets across the country in protest. Many athletes and others have sought asylum while attending events outside the country amid the government's brutal crackdown on dissent.
