On January 26, 2026, Turkish authorities detained exiled Iranian journalist Kaveh Taheri in the northwestern city of Sakarya while he was traveling by bus to Istanbul for a visa appointment at the French consulate, Salih Efe, his lawyer, told CPJ. Taheri, an independent freelance journalist and human rights advocate, is currently held at the Kocaeli Removal Center.
Taheri is a recognized refugee under the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Efe told CPJ that the detention was unlawful and arbitrary, noting that Taheri possessed a valid travel permit authorizing his travel for the consulate appointment.
According to Efe, Turkish authorities issued a deportation order on January 28, citing “national security” grounds, a justification commonly used in cases involving journalists and political dissidents. Efe told CPJ that no intelligence reports have been presented to substantiate the accusations, no hearing has been held, and no date has been set for judicial review. Although a colleague was able to visit Taheri and review his file on January 28, authorities have provided no further explanation for the arrest.
Taheri’s sister, Laleh, told CPJ that the family learned of his detention through a brief WhatsApp message sent during the arrest. She said the family fears for his safety, particularly due to the risk of deportation to Iran.
Efe told CPJ that previous court rulings had blocked earlier deportation attempts against Taheri, describing his situation as a prolonged pattern of administrative harassment.
If deported to Iran, Taheri could face serious retaliation for his reporting on government corruption and human rights abuses. He was previously arrested by Iranian intelligence in 2012 and spent nearly a year detained in Adel Abad Prison in Shiraz, where he reported being tortured and forced to give a false confession.
Taheri is the founder of the ICBPS YouTube channel, which focuses on news and geopolitical analysis, and has contributed to several international outlets, including The HuffPost and The Times of Israel. He most recently has published analysis on Iranian and international affairs through his Substack account.
CPJ emailed the Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management and the French Consulate in Istanbul for comment regarding Taheri’s detention and visa appointment but received no response.