Continued Uncertainty for Mehdi Afshar Nik, Imprisoned Journalist and Filmmaker; Prosecutor Prevents Bail

Mehdi Afshar Nik, an experienced economic journalist and filmmaker who questioned the oil officials of the Islamic Republic in his latest reports, remains in a state of uncertainty in Evin Prison despite 85 days having passed since his arrest. An informed source close to Mehdi Afshar Nik's family told the HRANA news agency on Thursday, April 25, that despite legal follow-ups, 'no information has been obtained regarding the charges against him, and so far, temporary release has not been possible.' According to HRANA's report, Ali Salehi, the Tehran prosecutor, has ordered the case investigator to 'prevent the acceptance of bail and temporary release' for this journalist, who has previously worked for the newspapers Etemad and Shargh. During this time, Mehdi Afshar Nik's family and lawyer have repeatedly visited the Evin prosecutor's office, but their efforts to obtain information about his status have so far been fruitless. The last message from this oil journalist on the social media platform X involved a video and questioning the background of an oil sector manager. In this message, which has restricted access, Mehdi Afshar Nik asked an oil official: 'In the section introducing the directors of the Pars Oil and Gas Company, how many hold PhDs? One of them is Hamid Taghavi, the head of public relations; it would be good for him to say from which university he obtained his management PhD and whether it is registered in the company's system. Do you think someone who provides vital and important news about the country's gas production would publish their PhD?' Some journalists close to Mehdi Afshar Nik have cited the exposure of the oil mafia as the reason for his arrest. A message published before his arrest on X indicates that this journalist had uncovered issues related to gas. Shahla Safapour, the wife of this imprisoned journalist, previously stated that this period has felt like 'a lifetime' for her and their children, and during this time, 'even phone contact has been at the minimal level possible.' Mehdi Afshar Nik was arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic on the evening of January 29, 2023, and transferred to Evin Prison. The nationwide protests of 2022, which began after the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police, were one of the periods during which the Islamic Republic intensified its crackdown on media activists. In this context, Reporters Without Borders reported that during the protests known as 'Women, Life, Freedom,' at least 79 journalists, including 31 female reporters, were arrested. The continued detention of Mehdi Afshar Nik, an economic journalist, persists despite the prosecutor's agreement to his release on bail. Mehdi Afshar Nik and Ali Tasnimi remain in detention without resolution after two months.