Elham Afkari: Iran detains woman over alleged links to foreign-based channel
A national Iranian flag waves in the wind
A semi-official news agency in Iran, Tasnim news agency, said Thursday that Iranian authorities have arrested Elham Afkari, the sister of a wrestler who was executed in 2020. They also accused her of colluding with a foreign-based Persian-language television channel.
The reported arrest cameamid nationwide mass protests over the death of Mahsa Amini allegedly in the custody of the morality police in Iran over not wearing her veil properly.
Afkari was reportedly arrested on Thursday. She has been formally charged with communicating with and transmitting information to a London-based television broadcaster.
Reports mentioned that Afkari was also alleged to have had a large amount of foreign currency on her when she was detained. She was apparently trying to flee the country.
Responding to the arrest, Iran International tweeted that it "categorically denies" the Islamic republic's claims. It further noted that in addition to Afkari, the security forces had also detained her husband and three-year-old daughter. Saeed, the other brother confirmed it.
"Recently, the agent carried out numerous activities and actions in slandering the Islamic Republic, inviting youth to riot and creating terror among the people, reported Fars, a semi-official news agency affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
The Iranian state media even showed pictures of her arrest. In the pictures, as mentioned by the media reports, Afkari was seen with a large black blindfold over her face. She was seen seated in the back of a security vehicle.
Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media.
Who is Elham Afkari?
She is the sister of Navid, a 27-year-old wrestling champion who was executed at a prison in the southern city of Shiraz in September 2020.
The judiciary in Iran had said he had been found guilty of "voluntary homicide" for stabbing to death a government employee in August 2018.
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