Iranian journalist Arash Ghaleh Golab detained during mourning ceremony

Iran-HRM – Poet and journalist Arash Ghaleh Golab has not been allowed to contact his family since he was arrested on May 26, during a protest over the recent collapse of a building in the Iranian port city of Abadan.

Ghaleh Golab was violently arrested by security forces during a state crackdown on protests and remains in detention while suffering from acute respiratory illness and diabetes.

In a statement on June 1, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed concern over his arrest.

CPJ said that a “source familiar with the case” said that officers hit Ghaleh-Golab “with their fists and kicked him” during his arrest, adding that he is being detained without charge at an undisclosed location and not being allowed to contact his family.

Ghaleh Golab has written political commentary and editorials for various local publications. Most recently, his work was published by the state-run website Ensaf News.

He was arrested on anti-state charges for his writings in 2016.