Journalist who interviewed death row inmates' families arrested in Iran
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Tehran: According to the reformist daily Etemad, a journalist who published interviews with relatives of people on death row sentenced in connection with nationwide protests was detained by Iranian authorities on Friday.
In connection with the turmoil brought on by the custodial death of Mahsa Amini on September 16, fourteen Iranians have received death sentences.
The morality police in Tehran had detained the 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, for allegedly breaking the Islamic Republic's clothing code for women.
“Mehdi Beikoghli, head of the political service at Etemad daily, was arrested last night,” the newspaper said on its website
The journalist, who is the most recent member of the press to be detained in Iran, recently spoke with numerous families of protesters who had been given death sentences.
Last month, two men, both 23 years old, were put to death in connection with the protests that the Iranian government refers to as "riots." An AFP count based on official statements indicates that twelve additional people have been given the death penalty. Half of them are awaiting retrial, AFP reported.
Dozens more protestors, according to foreign-based advocacy groups, are facing charges that might result in their deaths.
“His wife wrote on Twitter that Mehdi’s cellphone, computer and personal belongings were seized during the arrest,” Etemad said.
A list of approximately 40 journalists and photojournalists detained in connection with the protests was released in December by Shargh, another reformist newspaper.
One is the Shargh journalist Niloufar Hamedi, who, along with Elaheh Mohammadi from the Ham Mihan newspaper, contributed to the exposure of the Amini case by covering her hospital visit and funeral, respectively. They've both been detained since September.
Since then, a number of additional journalists have been arrested, according to local media.
More than 200 individuals, including members of the security forces, have died since the protests started, according to a report released last month by Iran's main security agency. More than 2,000 people have been charged, according to judicial authorities.