Journalist detained in Iran

The following is a statement GlobalPost released June 24:

A freelance journalist traveling on a grant from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting and contributing to GlobalPost's coverage in Iran has been detained by the government there.

Iason Athanasiadis, a Greek citizen, was traveling with a valid journalist’s visa and credentials when he was picked up by Iranian officials at the Tehran airport the evening of June 17. Iranian news agencies have reported that he was arrested although no precise charges have been presented.

Since Athanasiadis was detained, GlobalPost has been working diligently in coordination with the Pulitzer Center, a not-for-profit foundation that funds journalism projects, and The Washington Times, for which Athanasiadis was also writing, to ascertain his whereabouts and the details of his apparent arrest.

Iason's family and loved ones have been in touch with the Greek Foreign Minister and the Greek Ambassador to Iran who are actively working through diplomatic channels to secure his release.

"Iason is a professional journalist with a deep commitment to covering Iran and a strong record of fair and balanced reporting and powerful photography. He was doing his job covering the story. And we are hoping the Greek government will succeed soon in securing his release," said Charles M. Sennott, GlobalPost's executive editor.

Iason, a recipient of many awards for journalism and a Nieman fellow at Harvard University in 2007-2008, wrote his final dispatch for GlobalPost from Iran just before he headed for the airport. He was intending to leave the country as was requested by the Iranian government of all foreign journalists.

http://www.globalpost.com/notebook/middle-east/090624/journalist-arrested-iran