Iran has arrested the bureau chief of Japan's public broadcaster, NHK World, and transferred him to Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, two sources have told RFE/RL's Radio Farda.
A spokesman for Japan's government, Masanao Ozaki, told reporters that a Japanese citizen had been detained on January 20 but declined to give more details.
It is unclear what charges the NHK journalist, Shinnosuke Kawashima, faces, although sources said he was taken to Evin prison on February 23.
Kawashima is being held in Ward 7 of the prison, where political prisoners are usually incarcerated, one of the sources said.
Fumina Koike from NHK’s PR Department told RFE/RL on February 25: "NHK places the utmost priority on ensuring the safety of its employees at all times. We are unable to provide any information at this moment."
Iranian officials have not announced the arrest of Kawashima, who previously served as NHK's bureau chief in Jakarta.
NHK is Japan's public broadcaster, providing news and information about Japan and Asia on television, radio, and online platforms to a global audience.
Kawashima's arrest came weeks after the authorities killed thousands of people in an unprecedented crackdown on mass protests calling for the overthrow of Iran’s clerical rulers.
As part of the crackdown, tens of thousands of people have been arrested across the country in recent weeks, including journalists and human rights defenders.
