Iranian dissident journalist released: media

Keyvan Samimi has served prison terms both before and after the Islamic revolution of 1979.

MENA1 min read
The New Arab Staff & Agencies
01 January, 2023

Independent media in Iran face constant harassment, say RSF [Getty images]

Iranian dissident journalist Keyvan Samimi, jailed in December 2020 for "plotting against national security", has been released, reformist daily Shargh reported on Sunday.

Samimi, 73, was in December 2020 sentenced to three years in prison and was held in Semnan, nearly 200 kilometres (125 miles) east of Tehran.

Shargh did not specify the date of his release.

Samimi had been granted permission to leave prison on medical grounds in February 2022.

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But he returned to prison in May after being suspected of carrying out activities against national security, the Mehr news agency said.

In December, he issued a message from prison supporting the protest movement following the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini.

The 22-year-old Iranian Kurd died after being arrested by the police for an alleged violation of country's dress code for women.

Samimi has served prison terms both before and after the Islamic revolution of 1979.

Following the death of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody, nationwide demonstrations against the hijab law began in Iran, and women burnt their headscarves in major Iranian cities.

The brutal crackdown on the protests fueled the anger against the authorities and sparked a new wave of anti-establishment demonstrations, during which security forces killed at least 448.