Reporters Without Borders Calls for Immediate Release of Amirhossein Mirasamaeili

On Monday, July 16, Reporters Without Borders criticized the detention of Amirhossein Mirasamaeili, a journalist for the newspaper Jahan San'at, and called for his immediate release. Reports indicate that Amirhossein was arrested on July 11. He had previously been detained in May of this year on charges of insulting the eighth Imam of Shia Muslims. Reporters Without Borders, an international organization advocating for media freedom, stated that this journalist was likely arrested 'following a tweet regarding the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee's assistance to the people of Gaza during Ramadan.' According to the report, Amirhossein Mirasamaeili had responded to a tweet stating that this 'institution has helped the residents of Gaza with funds collected from the people of Iran.' In its latest annual report on 'media freedom,' Reporters Without Borders announced that Iran ranked 164 out of 180 countries in the 2018 list, showing no significant progress compared to the previous year and remaining 'stuck at the bottom.' Recently, state media IRNA released a video showing the Islamic Republic's aid to Gaza, indicating that Palestinian institutions responsible for distributing Iran's aid have set up large kitchens and open tents to provide free meals daily to thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, funded by the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee. IRNA also reported on the eve of Ramadan under the title 'Iranian Iftar in Palestine,' mentioning that the Relief Committee is assisting the people of Gaza for the fourth consecutive year during Ramadan. The Imam Khomeini Relief Committee has previously distributed significant aid among the people of Gaza, especially during Ramadan or after intense conflicts between Hamas and the Israeli army. Following the release of images showing the distribution of Iftar food in Gaza under the banner of the Iranian Relief Committee last week, a campaign titled 'No to the Relief Committee' began on social media, encouraging people not to donate to this institution's funds. The head of the Relief Committee denied that donations were spent outside of Iran and accused the 'No to the Relief Committee' campaign of being linked to Israel.