The London-based Persian-language broadcaster Iran International has accused the Iranian government of abducting family members of one of its journalists in retaliation for the network's coverage of the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.
In a statement released on Saturday, Iran International described the incident as "an appalling act of hostage-taking aimed at coercing our colleague into resigning from their post," adding that this "deeply reprehensible tactic marks a dangerous escalation in the regime's ruthless campaign to silence dissent and suppress independent journalism."
Family Members Taken to Undisclosed Location
According to the network, members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) detained the journalist's mother, father, and younger brother, taking them to an undisclosed location. The journalist, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons, reportedly received a phone call from her father shortly after the abduction.
During the call, IRGC agents could allegedly be heard dictating the father's words: "I've told you a thousand times to resign. What other consequences do you expect? You have to resign."
Pattern of Intimidation
This incident appears to be part of a wider campaign by Iranian authorities to pressure foreign-based Iranian journalists by targeting their relatives still living in Iran. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has consistently ranked Iran as one of the world's leading jailers of journalists, with media workers facing strict restrictions and increasing repression both inside and outside the country.
Iran International, which has faced threats from Tehran previously, has called on international human rights bodies and press freedom organizations to condemn what it labeled "a hostage situation" and to take urgent action to protect journalists and their families.
The alleged abduction comes amid heightened tensions in the region as the conflict between Iran and Israel continues to escalate, with international concerns growing about potential wider regional implications.
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