5 Iranian journalists detained in ongoing crackdown
Two of those detained are affiliated with reformist politicians; Iran heads to parliamentary elections in February
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A semi-official news agency in Iran is reporting that authorities have detained five local journalists recently amid an ongoing crackdown on expression in the Islamic Republic.
The report Tuesday by the Fars news agency identified two of the journalists as reformists Isa Saharkhiz and Ehsun Mazandarani. It did not name the others.
Saharkhiz, who was released in 2013 after serving years in prison following Iran’s 2009 post-election turmoil, has openly criticized the government in interviews with foreign media. Mazandarani, once detained in 2012, was working as the editor-in-chief of the moderate daily newspaper Farhikhtegan.
The detentions follow the arrest of others, including two poets and a filmmaker. It also comes ahead of crucial February parliamentary elections and as hard-liners push against a nuclear deal with world powers.
Last week, two Iranian poets were jailed for their work and sentenced to 99 lashes apiece for shaking hands with members of the opposite sex in Iran.
Fatemeh Ekhtesari, a practicing obstetrician, and Mehdi Mousavi, a trained doctor who teaches literature and poetry, were first arrested in December 2013, months after Rouhani took office. Earlier this month, Ekhtesari received an 11½-year prison sentence, while Mousavi got nine years on charges ranging from propaganda against the state to “insulting sanctities,” as well as the lashings, according to PEN.
In mid-October, Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, who has been detained in Iran for more than a year on charges including espionage, was convicted.
Rezaian was tried in a closed-door trial that has been widely criticized by the US government and press freedom organizations. He reportedly faces up to 20 years in prison.
A Freedom House report released in April this year ranked Iran among the world’s worst freedom of press offenders in 2014.
The US-based non-governmental organization found that during the previous year press freedom in general fell to its lowest point in 10 years, as terrorists targeted journalists, authoritarian governments jailed them and some countries tightened their media controls.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.