An Iranian journalist was arrested after conducting interviews with the families of death row inmates in connection with the demonstrations triggered by the death of a young Kurdish woman in custody, a reformist daily announced on Friday, AFP informs, Agerpres reads.

Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed since mid-September during these demonstrations, generally described as „riots” by Tehran, and several thousand others have been arrested. „Mehdi Beikoghli, the head of the political department of the daily Etemad, was arrested yesterday evening” (Thursday), this daily announced on its website.

In recent weeks, the journalist has published several interviews with families of people recently sentenced to death for their alleged involvement in the demonstrations. Iranian justice has sentenced 14 people to capital punishment since mid-September. Two of them have already been executed.

„His wife wrote on Twitter that Mehdi’s mobile phone, computer and personal belongings were confiscated during his arrest,” Etemad added. The Shargh daily published in December a list of nearly 40 journalists and photojournalists arrested in Iran in connection with the protest movement.

In recent weeks, local media have announced the arrest of several other journalists. Iran is shaken by the demonstrations triggered by the death, on September 16, of the young Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, who died after being arrested by the morality police for violating the strict dress code of the Islamic Republic.

Agerpres