The identities of two Australian citizens arrested in Iran have been revealed; their arrest is being charged with "illegal filming with a drone."
The Australian government has announced the identities of two of its citizens who were recently arrested while traveling in Iran. The tourists are said to be charged with “illegal filming” with a drone.
On Thursday, September 11, ABC News announced the names of two arrested Australian citizens, Julie King and Mark Firkin, who began traveling to different countries in 2017 and shared their experiences on social media.
The Australian couple were arrested while traveling in Iran. The report says the two Australian tourists are accused of “illegal filming” with a drone.
In a statement released on Thursday, September 11, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed the identities of the two citizens through their families and announced that they are from Perth, the capital of Western Australia.
According to a statement released, the families of these individuals said they would not be making any "further comment" at this time.
The Guardian wrote that Julie King and Mark Firkin were both traveling on Australian passports.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also announced that the federal government is sensitively reviewing the matter and is in close contact with officials.
This Australian government official has also emphasized that public explanation and information about issues can be harmful.
The British newspaper The Guardian also reported the arrest of another Australian-British citizen, a university professor and a woman who was sentenced to ten years in prison. However, no details were reported on the woman's possible charges.
According to the newspaper, the Australian government has been negotiating the release of all three detainees since their arrest.
The Islamic Republic's judicial authorities have not yet commented on the arrest of these individuals.
The arrest of dual nationals and citizens of other countries is a common occurrence in Iran, and Western analysts say the Islamic Republic uses dual nationals as hostages to obtain money and privileges from Western governments.
The United States Department of State has repeatedly condemned the Islamic Republic's regime's arbitrary and unjustified detention of American and other citizens, including dual-national Iranians, and called for their immediate and unconditional release.
Source: Voice of America
