IRANIAN AUTHORITIES are believed to be holding a Danish journalism student arrested in a crackdown on foreign reporters. Niels Krogsgaard (31) was reported missing on Wednesday after attending a rally organised by the Iranian government to mark the 30th anniversary of the storming of the American embassy in Tehran.
The rally was hijacked by opposition supporters protesting about the results of the presidential election in June, won by the incumbent, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Three Iranian journalists, Farhad Fooldi, Behnam Nikzad, and Nafiseh Zare Kohan, are also believed to be in police custody.
The Iranian news agency Fars said an unnamed Japanese journalist was also arrested. The Japanese embassy in Tehran confirmed one of its citizens had been held but said he was not working as a journalist. Last month Maziar Bahari, a Newsweek journalist, was freed on bail after nearly four months in prison. Bahari, a dual Canadian and Iranian citizen, was allowed to leave the country to join his British wife in London.
Overseas media have been banned from covering street protests since the demonstrations over the disputed June presidential election.
The International Federation of Journalists said it was "deeply concerned" for Krogsgaard, who it said was preparing a media project for his graduation. – ( Guardianservice)