Iran Releases Russian Journalist

Russian journalist Yulia Yuzik has been released from an Iranian prison after almost a week.

The journalist, who was arrested on October 3, is reportedly back in Moscow and has thanked the Russian government for “saving her life.” There is no further information on what kind of diplomatic intervention might have taken place to secure her release, if any.

Revolutionary Guards raided Yuzik’s hotel room in Tehran and then arrested her. Although more than a dozen foreign nationals, dual nationals, and foreign residents are currently in jail in Iran, Yuzik was the first Russian to have been jailed. After her arrest, she spoke to her mother on the phone and told her that she had been accused of collaborating with Israel.

The Iranian foreign ministry initially confirmed the arrest, but later it rescinded it. 

Mehdi Sanaee, the Iranian ambassador in Moscow, was said to be in talks with Iranian officials about the incident.  

The reason behind Yuzik’s arrest and alleged charge were not known, but she had traveled to Israel in the past — though the trip was more than 20 years ago. She had recently posted tourist photographs on Instagram, but nothing more, and two friends confirmed to IranWire that she was not visiting Iran in a professional capacity.

Yuzik has faced controversy in her own country, and has been known as a critic of President Vladimir Putin.