Iran Arrests Journalists During Presidential Campaign

An Iranian newspaper has denounced the arrest of four journalists during the presidential election campaign, suggesting that it was orchestrated by "one conservative candidate," further dampening public interest in voting.

In an article published on Saturday, the newspaper singled out Parliament Speaker and presidential candidate Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, detailing how three of the arrested whistleblowers were directly involved in exposing cases pertinent to him.

Experts interviewed by Ham-Mihan daily in Tehran opine that these measures, seemingly intended to silence whistleblowers and bolster Ghalibaf's candidacy, have ironically backfired, as the whistleblowers are well-known figures, making the actions appear more like attempts to suppress dissent.

The individuals detained include journalists and whistleblowers Vahid Ashtari, Yashar Soltani, Saba Azarpeik, and Hadi Kasaeizadeh.

Security forces arrested social media activist and whistleblower Vahid Ashtari to begin serving his jail term shortly after the release of documents implicating Galibaf on Thursday. Ashtari has publicly exposed corruption allegations against Ghalibaf and his associates. In April 2022, Ashtari’s revelations triggered the Layette-gate scandal, prompting calls for Ghalibaf’s resignation and renewed scrutiny of alleged corruption involving his family.

In 2016, Memari News, led by prominent whistleblower Yashar Soltani, reported that Lavizan Park in Tehran had been closed for several days to host the wedding celebration of Ghalibaf's daughter while he served as mayor. The report detailed how municipal resources were used, including illuminating the park at the expense of local authorities in Tehran's fourth district.

Earlier this month, the judiciary detained journalists and whistleblowers Saba Azarpeik and Yashar Soltani to serve pending sentences.