Eight photographers and cameramen have been arrested in a recent crackdown in Iran, according to Paris-based Reporters sans Frontières (RSF).
Following the expulsion of almost all foreign reporters, seven photographers have been jailed since June 12. They include Mehdi Zabouli (arrested on June 20), Tohid Bighi (July 11), Majid Saidi (July 11), Satyar Emami (July 11), Marjan Abdolahian (July 11) and Koroush Javan (July 11).
"We have been told that Said Movahedi, a cameraman with French and Iranian dual citizenship, who works for several news media including the CAPA agency and the French TV station TF1’s main evening news programme, was arrested on July 9. He has make reporting trips to Iran for years and knows the country well. It is not known why he was arrested and what he is charged with," RSF said.
“The Iranian government fears images and has embarked on a manhunt for photographers and cameramen in an attempt to ensure that no professional photos or video gets out of the country,” RSF reacted. “Without quality images, the opposition protests and the constant crackdowns will not be reported in Iran or abroad. That would be a failure for all those who defend media freedom.”
Five other photographers or cameramen have been injured by police or militiamen. They include Hamed Badie and Kian Aman, who were both stabbed while working in Tehran. Several of the injured journalists did not seek treatment in hospitals for fear of being arrested.
Ali Zare, a photographer who was arrested and tortured by militiamen and police for 48 hours in a location that he was unable to identify, has described to RSF how detainees are mistreated.
