An Iranian journalist has been arrested after conducting interviews with families of death row prisoners in connection with protests sparked by the death in custody of a young woman, a reformist daily said on Friday.
Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed since mid-September in these protests, generally described as “riotsby Tehran, and thousands more arrested.
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14 people sentenced to death
“Mehdi Beikoghli, head of the political department of the daily Etemad, was arrested last nightThursday, announced this newspaper on its site. The journalist had published in recent weeks several interviews with families of people recently sentenced to death for their alleged involvement in the demonstrations.
Justice has sentenced 14 people to death since mid-September, according to an AFP count based on official information. Two of them were executed. “His wife wrote on Twitter that Mehdi’s mobile phone, computer and personal belongings were seized during his arrestadded Etemad.
Several other journalists arrested
The daily Shargh had published in December a list of nearly 40 journalists and photojournalists arrested in Iran in connection with the protest movement. In recent weeks, local media have announced the arrest of several other journalists.
Iran is rocked by protests sparked by the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, who died after she was arrested by vice squad for violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code.
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