Judiciary Claims Arrest of Journalist and Inspection of Media Building Unrelated to 'Media Activities'

Hours after widespread news of the arrest of Mehdi Afsharnik, who was apparently detained last week, the judiciary news agency was forced to respond, stating that 'there are no media-related charges in this case.' The judiciary-affiliated news agency, Mizan, claimed that the arrest of 'a former economic journalist' and 'the inspection of the office of a news site' that publishes economic news was conducted for 'reasons completely contrary to journalistic and media activities.' According to Mizan, a 'judicial case' has been formed in this regard, and it is claimed that 'there are no media-related charges' in this case. According to reports published last night on social media, government forces entered the building of the 'Fardaye Eghtesad' media outlet at 2 PM on Monday, February 5, seizing the belongings of the journalists and preventing their exit. Based on information from other journalists from domestic media, on the social media platform 'X', while the phones of the detained journalists were confiscated and their communication with the outside was cut off, their families gathered in front of the 'Fardaye Eghtesad' building in Argentina Square, Tehran. The official accounts of this media outlet on social media have also not been updated since Monday afternoon, and it is reported that several of its journalists have been arrested. Hours later, 'Etemad Online' announced that Mehdi Afsharnik, a former economic journalist, was 'probably' arrested on Wednesday, February 1. Mehdi Afsharnik is an active journalist of recent decades with a history of collaboration with various media, including the newspapers Etemad and Shargh. The Islamic Republic has a history of mass arrests and dealing with media activists. Following the nationwide protests in 2022 in response to the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the 'Guidance Patrol', the Islamic Republic's crackdown on media activists has intensified. The critical state of livelihoods in Iran and economic and social pressures are cited as factors for the onset of a new wave of protests, and security institutions are trying to manage the situation in various ways. The arrest of another protesting rapper in Iran; Vafadar: The Islamic Republic has taken my family 'hostage.' Nasrin Hosseini, a journalist, was imprisoned on charges of 'spreading falsehoods' and not adhering to 'Islamic hijab.' Continued pressure on media activists in Iran; prison sentences issued for two female journalists.