On January 18, 2026, freelance photojournalist Artin Ghazanfari was detained by Iranian security forces, who also confiscated his electronic equipment and books, at his home in the capital Tehran.
Ghazanfari was previously arrested in 2009, along with nine other Bahá’í, and served a one-year jail term, according to the U.K.-based Iran International.
Human rights groups say the Bahá’í, who are banned from practising their religion in Iran, face systematic persecution, discrimination and arbitrary detention. On January 16, 2026, Bahá’í photographer Navid Zarrehbin Irani was also detained.
CPJ was unable to confirm the charges against Ghazanfari or his current whereabouts. His Instagram account has been deactivated.
Ghazanfari was among journalist detained after a nationwide internet shutdown began on January 8 as part of Iran’s bloodiest crackdown since the 1979 revolution. On December 28, 2025, demonstrations over economic grievances expanded into nationwide protests. The death toll has been impossible to verify due to the communications shutdown, with estimates in late January 2026 ranging from 3,000 to 30,000.
CPJ’s January 2026 email to the Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York requesting comment did not receive a response.