TEHRAN: Iran has arrested two female journalists working for reformist newspapers ahead of the first anniversary of a disputed presidential election, an opposition website reported on Tuesday.
"Azam Veisameh and Mahbubeh Khansari were arrested by intelligence agents around midnight," the Rahesabz website said, adding that agents had also searched the pair’s homes and seized computers.
Veisameh has been a parliament reporter for several top-selling reformist newspapers and magazines. Khansari was a city reporter for now-banned reformist dailies.
Iran has cracked down heavily on the pro-reform opposition, jailing scores of prominent reformist leaders, journalists and rights campaigners following last June’s re-election of the hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi are seeking to stage fresh demonstrations on June 12 to mark the first anniversary of the election, which was marred by widespread allegations of fraud.
