Iran Press/Iran News: Condemning the arbitrary detention of Marzieh Hashemi, IFJ urged American authorities to clarify the situation.
"Iranian #journalist Marzieh Hashemi has been arrested in the US on undisclosed charges. We have serious concerns about her detention and we urge American authorities to clarify the situation," the International Federation of Journalists said in its twitter account, Iran Press reported.
The 59-year-old US citizen, who is based in Iran, was detained on Sunday in St. Louis, Missouri, where she had filmed a Black Lives Matter documentary.
Suzanne Nossel, CEO of the PEN America group promoting literature and free expression, said she is concerned Hashemi might have been targeted for her documentary work on the Black Lives Matter movement or for political reasons.
“If there are other grounds for Hashemi's detention they must be made clear, otherwise she should be released immediately," Nossel added.
Peyman Jebeli, IRIB World Service chief on Wednesday vehemently condemned the arrest and imprisonment of journalist, Marzieh Hashemi, saying the Trump administration was fully responsible for the safety and well-being of the Press TV anchor.
The Press TV news presenter is due to appear in a Washington, DC, court on Friday.
She was detained as a “material witness” to a criminal case and no charges were pressed against her, according to Hossein Hashemi, her elder son.
The US law defines a material witness as a person who is presumed to have information about the subject matter of a lawsuit or criminal prosecution, which is critical to the outcome of the case or trial. 101
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Jebeli: US responsible for safety and well-being of Press TV journalist, Marzieh Hashemi
