UK Police Illegally Spied on Journalists, Tribunal Rules
December 17, 2024Belfast Journalists Win Landmark Case Against Unlawful Police Surveillance
December 17, 2024
December 17, 2024 – Romania/UK –
British authorities have arrested two Romanian nationals in connection with the March 2024 stabbing of British-Iranian journalist Pouria Zeraati, a prominent presenter with Iran International. The suspects, identified as 19-year-old Nandito Badea and 23-year-old George Stana, were apprehended in Romania and are currently facing extradition to the United Kingdom. The charges relate to a targeted attack in Wimbledon, where Zeraati was stabbed in the leg near his home. The incident left him hospitalized but did not result in life-threatening injuries. A third man, a 40-year-old suspect, was arrested in the UK in January 2025 on suspicion of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm and later released on bail.
The Metropolitan Police’s Counter-Terrorism Command is leading the investigation, treating the attack as potentially linked to foreign state-sponsored efforts to intimidate or harm journalists in exile. Although authorities have not formally accused the Iranian government, the context has fueled suspicions given Iran International’s history of receiving threats from Tehran. MI5 previously revealed that at least fifteen plots to kidnap or kill individuals in the UK, including journalists critical of Iran, had been foiled since 2022.
Zeraati, who continues to anchor political programs on Iran International, has long been a vocal critic of the Iranian regime. Following the attack, the network expressed relief at the arrests and reiterated concerns about journalist safety in the diaspora. Press freedom organizations, including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, have condemned the assault and urged the UK government to take stronger measures to counter foreign interference.
This case adds to a growing list of threats against journalists with ties to repressive regimes. The targeting of Zeraati is viewed not as an isolated act of violence but as part of a broader strategy to intimidate journalists reporting from abroad. The UK’s commitment to prosecuting those involved and protecting press freedom is now being closely watched. If the suspects are extradited and tried in London, the case may set a critical precedent for how democracies respond to transnational repression aimed at silencing dissenting media voices within their borders.
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