Continued Detention of Sajjad Shahabi, Arrested Broadcaster, and Concerns About His Condition

[This article has been updated to correct the name of the arrested individual to 'Sajjad Shahabi'] Shima Shahabi, a journalist and editor of the Persian section of the 'IranWire' website, tweeted about her lack of information regarding the status of her arrested brother. According to her, Sajjad Shahabi's arrest was due to his media activities [Shima Shahabi]. Sajjad Shahabi, a radio broadcaster, was arrested on Wednesday, April 12, by security agencies. Security forces arrested him at his father's home and confiscated his and his family's personal belongings. According to Shima, his sister, he has been held in solitary confinement in Evin Prison during this time and was transferred to another cell after a 'hunger strike.' Since the beginning of nationwide protests in Iran and the support of many artists for the 'protest movement,' some of these individuals have been arrested, and cooperation with them has been avoided. Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, reported in his latest report to the UN Human Rights Council about the pressure on the families of political and civil activists outside Iran and called for extensive investigations by international human rights organizations in this regard. In recent years, with the expansion of protests in Iran and the dissemination of news by foreign media, the Islamic Republic has attempted in various ways to pressure journalists' families to halt their activities. Reporters Without Borders, in its latest report published in April, described the state of media freedom in Iran as 'worrisome' and considered the Islamic Republic as 'one of the most repressive governments in the world' in this regard. This organization emphasized that in Iran, in addition to imposing restrictions and extensive censorship on the press regarding information dissemination, journalists face threats, summonses, 'arbitrary' arrests, 'unfair' trials, and prison sentences. The report also mentioned the pressures, online harassment, and security threats from the Iranian government against journalists abroad. Due to censorship and pressure on media personnel in recent years, the Islamic Republic has consistently ranked among the lowest in global rankings. Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said on Tuesday to Voice of America: 'We urge Iranian officials to stop arbitrary arrests and sham trials and to cease depriving the people of Iran of the fundamental freedoms they deserve.'