Iranian Journalist Mehrdad Aladin Temporarily Released, Mahsa Amini Reporters Pardoned

January 20, 2025 – Iran – 

Iranian journalist and documentary filmmaker Mehrdad Aladin was temporarily released on bail after nearly two weeks in detention. Aladin, affiliated with the Didban Iran news outlet, was arrested on January 7 following a summons to the preliminary court at Evin Prison in Tehran. Authorities did not disclose formal charges, and he was held without trial. He was released on bail set at 1 billion tomans (approximately USD 12,500). Human rights organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), have called for his unconditional release and condemned his arrest as another example of Iran’s ongoing suppression of press freedom.

Aladin’s release came amid broader attention to the treatment of journalists in Iran, especially following the recent developments in the cases of Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi. These two prominent reporters were among the first to report on the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in 2022—a case that sparked nationwide protests. Both were arrested in 2022, tried in a Revolutionary Court, and sentenced to lengthy prison terms in 2023 for charges including “collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the state.”

After spending over 16 months in Evin Prison, Hamedi and Mohammadi were granted bail in January 2024. In February 2025, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a pardon that formally cleared them of all remaining charges. The decision followed growing domestic and international pressure, and both journalists are now free without legal restrictions.

While these releases are welcome developments, press freedom advocates warn that Iran continues to detain dozens of journalists under vague national security laws. The temporary and conditional nature of Aladin’s release, combined with the years-long legal battle faced by Hamedi and Mohammadi, underscores the fragility of media freedom in the country.

Bottom line: Although the release and pardons represent significant victories for journalists in Iran, the broader climate remains hostile. Without legal reforms and systemic protections, the threat of imprisonment continues to loom over independent and investigative reporters.

Reference – 

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/15/world/iran-niloofar-hamedi-elaheh-mohammadi-bail-intl

https://iranwire.com/en/news/138289-iranian-journalist-mehrdad-aladin-temporarily-released-on-bail/