(19 April 2010) The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran today strongly condemned government threats against Maziar Bahari and warned against possible government sponsored violence targeting dissidents and activists abroad.
In an interview with the Campaign, Bahari said that an unidentified caller contacted his family in Iran and threatened to harm him. Security forces detained Bahari, a Newsweek correspondent, following the disputed presidential elections of last June and the ensuing protests. He was released on bail after 118 days and is currently abroad.
“The intelligence apparatus and Revolutionary Guards have made several threats against critics abroad during the past few months. Now we see indications that they are serious and shameless about silencing critics, no matter where they are,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the Campaign’s spokesperson.
Bahari told the Campaign that an unidentified caller, whom he speculated to be a Revolutionary Guard member, called his family in Iran yesterday and made explicit threats against him.
“He told my family member that ‘Maziar is speaking too much, the situation is getting very dangerous. He shouldn’t think that because he is not in Iran we do not have access to him. Something unpredictable can happen at any point, something without any advance notice,” Bahari said.
Bahari’s court date is scheduled for 2 May and he is charged with 11 counts including insulting the Supreme Leader … >>>
