Iranian security forces arrested Iranian journalist Milad Fadaei Asl, along with his wife, journalist Saba Sherdoust, from their Tehran home on October 10, 2022.
Fadaei Asl is freelance reporter covering political, human rights and local news for variety of Iranian news website and newspapers. He was previously the head of the political desk at the semi-official Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA), according to exile-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
Prior to his arrest Fadaei Asl used Twitter to cover protests against the September 16 death of a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, after morality police arrested her for allegedly violating the country’s conservative dress law. His Twitter account has since been suspended.
According to a source familiar with the case who spoke to CPJ on the condition of anonymity due to the fear of reprisal, Fadaei Asl and his wife are in Evin Prison, where they are being held separately in solitary confinement. The source told CPJ that security officers interrogate them daily.
The source said that Fadaei Asl was permitted to make a short call to his family to inform them about his general health, which is stable.
According to the source, they have not been made aware of any charges against them.
Authorities arrested dozens of journalists as the protests over Amini’s death spread across the country. Several of them were later released on bail.
CPJ emailed Iran’s mission to the United Nations in late 2022 for comment on the cases of imprisoned Iranian journalists but received no response.