The Iranian president has assured the spouse of detained journalist Ehsan Mazandarani that he will follow up on the arrest of her husband.
ILNA reported that at the opening of the Media Fair in Tehran on Sunday November 8, Maliheh Hosseiny, Mazandarani’s wife, spoke with Hassan Rohani regarding the recent arrest of journalists.
Rohani reportedly assured Hosseiny that there is no need to be concerned, promising that he would follow up on the matter.
Rohani was quoted as saying: “These young people are assets to the country and must not be disheartened.”
Ehsan Mazandarani, a former parliamentary reporter and editor of the Farhikhtegan daily, was arrested last week. A number of journalists have been arrested in recent days, apparently accused of having links to elements trying to infiltrate the Islamic Republic.
Iran’s Supreme Leader has recently spoken of the danger of “enemy infiltration” in various strata of the country. The statement appears to have triggered the arrest of a number of journalists and activists.
President Rohani had issued his own warning to hardliners, recently saying that “enemy infiltration” should not be used as an excuse to silence opposition.
