Navid Jamshidi, an Iranian journalist and editor-in-chief at Asia News Iran, was arrested by security forces at his home in Tehran on September 25, 2022, during nationwide protests that followed the death in police custody of 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa Amini.
After his release, Jamshidi told CPJ that security forces had forced their way into his home and arrested him. He said authorities seized his belongings after midnight and took him to Ward 240 of Tehran’s Evin Prison, where he spent approximately 24 hours, before being transferred to Ward 209, controlled by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence.
Jamshidi told CPJ that he spent 49 days in Ward 209, including periods in solitary confinement, transfers between several cells, and harsh interrogations. Authorities then transferred him to Ward 350 of Evin Prison, where he remained for another 20 days under Ministry of Intelligence supervision.
Jamshidi was released on bail on November 23, 2022, after almost two months in detention, according to the International Federation of Journalists. Voice of America reported the following day that security forces had forced their way into his home, and seized his laptop, smartphone, and notes.
His father, journalist Iraj Jamshidi, told Voice of America that his son’s arrest was linked to an interview he had given to the broadcaster three days prior to his detention. Iranian authorities did not publicly announce a reason for Jamshidi’s arrest at the time.
Jamshidi told CPJ that roughly one month after his release, his case was heard by a Revolutionary Court and he was convicted. On February 1, 2023, Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court charged him with spreading “propaganda against the system,” imposed a two-year ban on his use of social media, and sentenced him to 10 months in prison.
Jamshidi told CPJ that part of the prison sentence had been served because of the approximately 60 days he had already spent in detention. He said the remaining portion of the sentence was subsequently covered by a February 2023, general amnesty and pardon approved by the now late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Jamshidi is the son of journalist Iraj Jamshidi, whose detention has been documented by CPJ.