Iran: Two journalists arrested, another expelled

12 Oct 10 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, News and features

Two men, a reporter and a photographer said to be from Germany’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper, have been arrested by Iranian officials. They were detained whilst interviewing the son of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani in the city of Tabriz. Mrs Ashtiani’s death sentence, which has been suspended, has provoked international outrage. A spokesman for Iran’s judiciary said the pair did not have the correct media accreditation, whilst a spokesman for Bild am Sonntag said it had no knowledge of the arrests. Iranian prosecutor general Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei stated that “two foreigners posing as journalists have been arrested in Iran”. It is thought Mrs Sistiani’s son and lawyer may also have been arrested.

In a separate development, Tehran-based journalist Angeles Espinosa has had her accreditation cancelled and been ordered to leave Iran within two weeks. The El Pais correspondent  is thought to have attracted the authorities’ disapproval for conducting an interview with the son of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, the late reformist cleric, in July.

UK: Film-makers arrested on Donald Trump’s Scottish estate

13 Sep 10 | Index Index, minipost, News and features

Two documentary-makers were arrested and detained after filming at Donald Trump’s golf resort near Aberdeen. Anthony Baxter and Richard Phinney were investigating complaints about building works on the site when Trump’s organisation accused them of entering offices and filming without permission. The two men were arrested for breach of the peace and held for four hours. Their camera equipment was retained by police for five days. Baxter and Phinney deny the allegations.

This is not the first time critics of the golf course have been given a hostile reception. On 31 August, long-standing opponent of the resort, Councillor Debra Storr, was ousted from the area committee debating Trump’s planning applications. A leading councillor lost his job in 2007 after voting against the original plans.