By Sally Shakkour
Human rights activists have raised their voices and urged the Turkish authorities not to deport the Iranian journalist Mohammad Mosaed back to Tehran; amid fears that his life will be threatened.
Journalist Mosaed was arrested by the Turkish police, on Monday January 17, in a Van after he crossed the border from Iran.
Mohammad mosaed has been captured by the turkish police and his life is in danger.
— Mahtab (@mahtab_sar) January 18, 2021
Stop this before it gets too late@UNHumanRights @UNRefugeeAgency @Refugees @RefugeesIntl @refugeecouncil @hrw @EU_Commission
#SaveMosaed pic.twitter.com/gsff7m4s1g
According to Turkish sources, the government is currently not considering sending Mohammad Mosaed back to Tehran despite the fact that he illegally crossed the borders.
They also added; Turkey will keep him in a deportation centre until his application for international protection is resolved.
Turkish Authorities Must Halt Deportation Of Iranian Journalist Mohammad Mosaed...#محمد_مساعد#SaveMosaed@UN pic.twitter.com/gQX4zPHHlF
— atusa sabagh (@goodbadatusa) January 18, 2021
Activists on Twitter have launched viral hashtags “#FreeMossad, #Mohammad_Mosaed, #محمد_مساعد” to help stop the deportation of the Iranian journalist.
#محمد_مساعد
— اسدالله میرزا (@lovelymanifest) January 18, 2021
Knock knock!
Hello free world!
journalist should not be in prison!
Can you hear us?#freemosaed#Mohammad_Mosaed pic.twitter.com/1kLXiqCqQ3
Today we must be his voice #MohammadMasaed because he was our voice in darkest day
— Luiz (@Luizi9898) January 19, 2021
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) stated that Mosaed has contacted the watchdog saying he had been detained by Turkish border police after crossing into Turkey from Iran.
Back in August, an Iranian court had sentenced Mohammad Mosaed to 5 years in jail on charges of “colluding against national security” and “spreading propaganda against the system.”
Turkish authorities must halt deportation of Iranian journalist Mohammad Mosaed, CPJ 2020 awardee - Committee to Protect Journalists https://t.co/HHkcJljw1D
— Alan Eyre (@AlanEyre1) January 18, 2021
For now we know former Shargh journalist Mohammad #Mosaed has been arrested by Intelligence Ministry for his tweets and posts at his telegram channel. #Iran #محمد_مساعد pic.twitter.com/A4077oqk8i
— Fereshteh Sadeghi فرشته صادقی (@fresh_sadegh) November 24, 2019
Mohammad Mosaed is an Iranian freelance economic journalist; he worked as an investigative reporter for several reformist magazines and newspapers and he reported extensively on government corruption, embezzlement, economic sanctions, labor, and popular protests.
Mosaed was awarded the 2020 International Press Freedom prize by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
