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September 24, 2024 – Iran –
Iranian security forces arrested Fardin Mostafaei, a 39-year-old Kurdish investigative journalist and administrator of the popular Telegram channel Saqqez Rudaw, in a café in Saqqez, Kurdistan Province. He has since been held at an undisclosed location, with authorities neither revealing charges nor location—a form of enforced disappearance.
Mostafaei’s tensions with the state began in November 2023 when Saqqez’s cyber police (FATA) summoned him following complaints from the city’s governor. He was interrogated for allegedly “spreading false information” and “disturbing public opinion” related to his reporting on local socio-economic issues. PEN America also notes he faced prior investigations for “propaganda” and disturbing the public mind.
Multiple rights groups—including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Hengaw, and the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN)—have publicly condemned his incommunicado detention and demanded his immediate release. CPJ’s MENA program coordinator, Yeganeh Rezaian, emphasized that journalists must be able to report without fear of government reprisals.
As of now, there is no clarity on Mostafaei’s legal status, access to legal counsel, or procedural protections—raising serious concerns about due process and human rights violations. Hengaw reported that this arrest appears to be part of wider efforts by the Saqqez governor to crack down on local journalists.
This case reflects an escalating pattern of repression targeting Kurdish journalists in Iran. Local media activists note a surge in arrests and harassment since late 2023, particularly aimed at individuals covering regional unrest, economic issues, or ethnic rights
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