Arrest of Sasan Aghaei, Deputy Editor of Etemad Newspaper

According to reports, Sasan Aghaei, the deputy editor of Etemad newspaper, was arrested on Saturday evening, August 21, at the newspaper's office under a warrant from the Culture and Media Prosecutor's Office. The Khabar Online website reported that security forces also took this journalist to his home after their presence at the newspaper, searched his house, and then transferred him to Evin Prison. The reason for the arrest of this journalist is not clear. Sasan Aghaei was also arrested following the protests against the results of the 2009 presidential election and was released after about four months. In the first week of February 2013, he was arrested along with 17 other journalists and was released after about a month. In recent months, more than 10 journalists have been arrested, and several of them, including Ehsan Mazandarani and Hengameh Shahidi, are still imprisoned. In March 2017, 12 managers of Telegram channels close to reformists and the government were also arrested, some of whom were released after about three months and others after about six months. Reporters Without Borders has stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran ranks 165th out of 180 countries in the organization's 2017 World Press Freedom Index. This organization also requested on Thursday, August 12, that Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, fulfill the promises he made to the Iranian people during his second presidential term. Additionally, according to the International Federation of Journalists, the global congress of this organization, held recently in Angers, France, from June 8 to 10, called for the release of imprisoned journalists in Iran at the request of the representative of the Iranian Journalists' Association. Prior to this, 29 members of the European Parliament had requested in a letter on May 12 that the Iranian authorities release journalists, political prisoners, and managers of Telegram channels. In this context, the release of three Telegram managers with a bail of 500 million tomans was reported. Reporters Without Borders stated: Rouhani should fulfill his promises. Tasnim reported that seven defendants in the Telegram channel case have been released on bail. The release of Nasrin Takiri, Sasan Aghaei, and Saba Azarpayek was also noted.