HRANA News Agency – Sina Ghalandari, journalist from Koohdasht, who was arrested after being summoned for investigations on August 30, was taken to a hospital following severe weakness and due to a disease, and then was released temporarily on the bail, but still remains in the hospital. Mr. Ghalandari was acquitted during the investigations by the prosecutor but for unknown reasons, the prosecutor issued his detention order.
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), Sina Ghalandari, was released temporarily on the bail on September 1.
A close source to Mr. Ghalandari told HRANA’s reporter: “The head of the Natural Resources of this province had sued Sina, on Tuesday. The case was about the reports and articles which Mr. Ghalandari had written regarding the wildfires incident in the province and the death of one of the local peasants. He was fully exonerated in the court, but prosecutors had prevented his release for unknown reasons.”
The informed source added: “Sina suffers from kidney stone and one night before being summoned he was admitted to the hospital. However, at the detention center, because Sina had not eaten since morning and no food was given to him in the detention, he had extreme fatigue and then he was transferred and admitted to the hospital.”
The source continued: “The true story was that, Mr. Abdulwali, head of Natural Resources in answer to Sina’s question: “Why did you announce the fire area was only 15 hectares, whereas it was around 200-300 hectares?” replied: “We separate the area of the stones of fire area”, and then this answer was highlighted and titled by Sina and was even said that it was reflected in the media. But it did not lead to any results and then they sued him saying that Sina was involved in setting the fire. They had five witnesses from the local trustees, but all the five witnesses testified in favour of Sina, and Sina was acquitted but the prosecutor ordered his detention for unknown reasons.”
Sina Ghalandari was born in 1985 in Kouhdasht city in Lorestan province. He handles a radio channel called “Radio Telegram of Lorestan”.
It is to say that, this Koohdashti journalist was detained for 9 days in the central prison of Lorestan last March following the complaint by the governor because of his question regarding the rumours that “he had thrown the Quran.”