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Iran confirms detention of local journalists linked to foreign media
TEHRAN, Jan 30, 2013 (Xinhua via COMTEX) --
In an announcement issued on
Wednesday, Iran's Intelligence Ministry confirmed the arrest of
some local journalists who, according to the announcement, were
linked to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and some
other Farsi- language services based abroad.
Earlier, local media reported that the Islamic republic had
arrested 11 journalists accused of cooperating with foreign media
outside of the country.
In line with the campaign against any "infiltration and
interference of the foreigners," the ministry "succeeded in
detection of one of the biggest media networks linked to the
arrogant media camp," the state IRIB TV quoted the announcement of
the public relations of Iran's Intelligence Ministry as saying.
This network, which had been launched by the BBC and run in
collaboration with some Western countries, was being controlled
for months so that the required legal documentation could be
attained, read the announcement.
In the future "significant information" will be released about
different dimensions of the case, said the announcement without
detailing on the number of detainees and the time of arrest.
The BBC and VOA Persian TV channels provide services in Farsi
language in peak viewing time of Iran from London and Washington
respectively.
Iran's intelligence ministry has warned Iranians not to work
with the BBC and other "hostile" TV networks, saying that those
who are thinking about cooperating with those networks should be
careful not to fall into the trap of this anti-Iranian
institutions.
In February 2012, Iranian media reported that the country had
arrested a number of "deceived" locals who were tasked with
collecting news and information in Iran for the BBC Farsi-language
service.
In November 2011, semi-official Mehr news agency said that
Iranian intelligence forces arrested Hassan Fathi, a local who had
been cooperating as a reporter with the BBC for a long time, on
charges of spreading lies about the Islamic republic and making
attempts to manipulate the Iranian public opinion.
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