Another German Reportedly Arrested In Iran Amid Protests

Police gather in riot gear on a street in Ardabil. (file photo)

Another German citizen reportedly has been arrested in Iran amid a wave of protests triggered by the death of a young woman detained by the country's morality police for "improperly" wearing a mandatory head scarf, or hijab.

The Jam-e Jam newspaper, which is affiliated with Iran's state media, reported that the German citizen was arrested during protests on October 16 in the northwestern city of Ardabil.

Anger over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on September 16 has swept Iran, with demonstrations in cities across the country.

Iran has repeatedly accused outside forces of stoking the protests and last week said nine foreign nationals -- including people from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland -- had been arrested. Iran has not shown any evidence to back up its claim.

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Iranian judicial and security authorities have yet to announce the alleged arrest of the German citizen.

Two Iranian-German dual citizens, Jamshid Sharmahd and Nahid Taghvi, were already being held in Iran, which has arrested dozens of foreigners and dual nationals in recent years, often on widely criticized espionage and security-related charges.

Western countries have repeatedly charged that Iran is taking dual and foreign nationals into custody on false charges and then offering them in prisoner swaps.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda