Journalist Who Reported Death of Child Bride Sentenced to Imprisonment

Sina (Gholamhossein) Qalandari, a journalist who previously reported the murder of a child bride by her clerical husband and his family in Lorestan, has been sentenced to imprisonment and banned from media activities.

Based on an image of the court verdict that Mr. Qalandari posted on his Instagram page on Monday, November 15, he was sentenced in absentia by the Kuhdasht Criminal Court to 13 months and 16 days imprisonment on the charge of “publishing false information” and to a similar sentence for “publishing private images.”

The journalist was also sentenced to “deprivation of employment as a journalist and confiscation of the Lorestan Telegram radio channel for two years” as “additional punishment” on charges of “disturbing public peace and exploiting hostile media and harassment of plaintiffs.”

Sina Qalandari, a local journalist in Lorestan, reported in early September this year the murder of Mobina Souri, a 16-year-old girl who was killed by her husband and family members on grounds of “honor.”

Mr. Qalandari stated in late September in an interview with Hamideli newspaper that he was arrested following complaints by the victim’s family and defendants in the Souri murder case, was released after 11 days on bail, and went on a hunger strike during his detention.

He also stated that he was initially acquitted, but after being released on bail, when he went to the prosecutor’s office to retrieve his personal belongings, he accidentally encountered the prosecutor, who criticized the publication of the news as “incorrect” and ordered the case officer to “punish him in such a way that he would not publish such news again.”

Source: Radio Farda