Rouhani Speaks Out against Recent Wave of Arrests in Iran

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a speech broadcast live today, spoke out against a recent wave of arrests by the IRGC Intelligence department aimed at crippling U.S. influence in the country. Five activists and journalists have been arrested in recent days by the secretive intelligence unit.

“We cannot have the security officers to be the judge of the press. We need clear media rules and regulations,” Rouhani said. (The New York Times, 8 November)

After the approval of the nuclear agreement, JCPOA, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has repeatedly warned against what he calls attempts by U.S. and other Western powers to “infiltrate” the country and “spread their influence.”  Since the speeches began, IRGC Intelligence has arrested the five journalists. A spokesman for the intelligence unit has appeared on live TV to accuse the journalists to have worked, some “unwittingly,” for the CIA.

Rouhani says the hardliners “misuse” Khamenei’s words “to detain and frighten opponents.” Iran will hold elections for the Majlis and the Assembly of Experts in late February. Accusing personalities associated with the camp of being the “infiltrating” agents of the U.S. would help the hardliners to disqualify moderate candidates from running in the elections.

In his speech, Rouhani also accused hardline media outlets of acting as “undercover police” and said, “they even tell their audience who is going to be arrested tomorrow.” He added the main hardline outlets are receiving official protection while making accusations against their political rivals.

Photo: The New York Times

IRGC Intelligence Arrests More “Infiltrating” Journalists

In a crackdown against Iranian journalists not associated with the hardliners, the IRGC Intelligence Department over the last 48 hours has arrested at least five journalists.

• Isa Saharkhiz, veteran journalist
• Ehsan Mazandarani, managing editor of Farhikhtegan newspaper
• Afarin Chitsaz, member of editorial board of Iran newspaper
• Saman Safarzaie, member of editorial board of monthly Andisheh Pouya
• Fifth journalist whose name has not yet ben revealed

Meantime, IRGC Intelligence Department said today that the “IRGC recently identified and arrested some members of a circle of media professionals engaged in a campaign against the Islamic Republic.” (Press TV, 4 November)

The news of the arrests came a day after IRGC Commander Gen. Aziz Jafari warned that a new “sedition” was underway following the nuclear deal.

“The enemy has started its work,” Gen. Jafari said. “We must understand the threat of infiltration and prevent certain action,” Jafari added during an event marking “Fight against International Arrogance and Imperialism Day.”

Hardliner website Dana carried an article against the detained journalists entitled “The Discovery of the American Infiltration Network in Iranian Media.”

The phrase “infiltration network” was coined by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a speech on 17 August 2015, when he warned that the Americans hoped to find “a way to establish their influence inside the country.” He added that the authorities “will block them and will continue to block them in no uncertain terms.”

Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in a reference to the arrests, warned today against “exploitation” of the supreme leader’s remarks on “foreign infiltration.”

File photo: Isa Saharkhiz (Twitter)

Rezaian, Washington Post Journalist, Faces Spy Trial

Jason Rezaian, the Iranian-American correspondent for the Washington Post in Tehran, today was charged with espionage and collaboration with “hostile governments,” and will face a so-called trial in a revolutionary court. The Washington Post branded the decision to charge Rezaian absurd.

The 39-year old journalist has been held for 9 months in solidarity confinement in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison. The charges against Rezaian reportedly include espionage, gathering classified information, and disseminating propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

Rezaian’s lawyer, Leila Ashan, said the file against her client contains “no jurifiable proof,” and that she has seen no legal reason to continue his detention.

“(Rezaian) is a journalist and the nature of his work to have access to information and to publish it,” Ashan said. “He had no access to confidential information, directly or indirectly.”  (AFP, 20 April)

“The grave charges against Rezaian that Iran has now disclosed could not be more lucicrous,” said Washington Post’s executive editor Martin Baron. “It’s absurd and despicable to asset, as Iran’s judiciary is now claiming, that Jason’s work first as freelance reporter and then as The Post’s Tehran correspondence amounted to espionage.”

File photo: Jason Rezaian (AFP)

Iran Extends Detention of Jason Rezaian Without Charge

Human Rights Watch reported today that Iranian-American journalist Jason Rezaian’s detention has been extended for another two months. Sarah Lee Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director of Human Rights Watch expressed concerns over the case:

“If [Iranian] authorities had evidence that Rezaian had committed a real crime, they should have charged him shortly after his arrest. At this point, they should simply release him.”

To read Human Rights Watch’s memorandum, please click here.

File photo: Washington Post’s Iranian-American journalist Jason Rezaian, held 4 months without being charges. His detention was extended for another two months. (Twitter)

CPJ: Iran Must Explain Journalist Arrests

State Department Calls for Immediate Release of Rezaian

New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) today called on the Iranian government to explain why the Washington Post’s Jason Rezaian and The National's Yeganeh Salehi, Rezaian’s wife, were arrested, and who has detained them.

It has now been six days since Rezaian and Salehi were detained. Reporters Without Border says an unnamed freelance photojournalist along with her non-journalist husband was also detained.

So far the only official confirmation of the arrests came from Qolam Hossein Esmaili, the head of the Justice Department in Tehran Province, who told the state-run news agency IRNA on Friday that the judiciary would provide information on the arrests after the completion of “technical investigations.”

In April, the very same Esmaili was removed from his previous post as head of Iran's state prisons after dozens of detainees in Evin prison, including at least seven journalists, were severely beaten during a raid. He is now promoted to the position of Tehran's prosecutor general, and has ordered the arrests of Rezaian and his colleagues.

CPJ said it holds the entire government in Iran responsible for the well being of all imprisoned journalists.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department today urged Iran to release Rezaian. Jen Psaki, a spokeswoman for the State Department, said Washington had asked the Swiss government, which is in charge of U.S. interest section in Iran, for assistance in resolving the issue of Rezaian’s detention.

“We call on the Iranian government to immediately release Mr. Rezaian and the other three individuals,” Psaki said Monday afternoon during a State Department news briefing. (Washington Post, 28 July)

The Washington Post’s executive editor, Martin Baron, said last week that the newspaper was “mystified” and “deeply concerned” by the arrest.

Rezaian, 38, who holds American and Iranian citizenship, has been The Post’s correspondent in Tehran since 2012. His wife, Yeganeh Salehi, 30, is a correspondent for UAE-based National newspaper.

To read today's Washington Post editorial on Rezaian and his colleagues, please click here.

File photo: A recent picture of Jason Rezaian and His wife, Yeganeh Salehi. (Washington Post)

Jason Rezaian, Washington Post Correspondent, Arrested in Tehran

Three Other Journalists Also Detained

Iranian authorities have arrested four journalists, including Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post correspondent in Tehran, and his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, a correspondent for the UAE-based newspaper the National.

The Washington Post said today Rezaian, Salehi and two freelance photojournalists working with them were arrested Tuesday evening in Tehran. It is unclear who detained them and why.

“We are deeply troubled by this news and are concerned for the welfare of Jason, Yeganeh and two others said to have been detained with them,” said Douglas Jehl, Washington Post foreign editor. (The Washington Post, 24 July)

Rezaian, 38, has been the accredited Washington Post correspondent in Tehran since 2012. He has been based in Iran as a journalist since 2008 and was previously accredited with other publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle.  Rezaian holds dual citizenship of the United States and Iran. Salehi is an Iranian citizen and a permanent resident of the U.S. The two freelance photojournalists, whose identities have not been reported, are also U.S. citizens.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CJP) issued a statement demanding the prompt release of the detained journalists.

“We call on Iranian authorities to immediately explain why Jason Rezaian, Yeganeh Salehi, and two other journalists have been detained, and we call for their immediate release,” said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour. (Reuters, 24 July)

There are currently 37 journalists and bloggers in prison in Iran.

“Iran has a dismal record with regard to its treatment of imprisoned journalists. We hold the Iranian government responsible for the safety of these four,” said CPJ’s Mansour.

Top Photo: The Washington Post's Tehran correspondent Jason Rezaian was detained on Tuesday evening, along with his wife and two photojournalists. (Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post)

Bottom photo: Jason Rezaian (l) and his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, with Anthony Bourdain during his trip to Iran recently. (Twitter/@thekarami)

 

Baniyaghoob, Prominent Journalist, Freed

Iran’s prominent journalist Jila Baniyaghoob was released from Evin prison today. (@negarmortazavi/Twitter, 23 June)

Photo credit: Jila Baniyaghoob (Kosoof.com/pic.twitter.com/189abdIEOk)

Detention of Growing Number of Journalists Condemned

Reporters Without Borders today condemned the renewed crackdown on Iranian journalists, in which a wave of arrests in Tehran on and around the “Black Sunday” of 27 January has been followed by interrogations and arrests of journalists in several provincial cities.

A total of 58 journalists are currently detained in Iran.

“The Iranian authorities must end these successive arbitrary arrests,” Reporters Without Borders said. “With five months to go to the next presidential election, they are pursuing a strategy of preventive arrests and systematic intimidation of news providers. This operation is designed to silence any criticism of the growing obstruction of freedom of information and the crackdown on journalists who could draw attention to electoral fraud.”

To read RSF’s report, please click here.