| Submit your comments on this article |
| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Merkel demands fake reporters release |
| 2010-10-13 |
| [Iran Press TV] German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for the release of two German nationals jugged in Iran for illegally trying to gather information on a woman convicted of adultery and murder. Posing as news hounds, the two interviewed the son of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who was found guilty of adultery and complicity in her husband's murder. "We are naturally very concerned that the two citizens are freed," Merkel was quoted by DPA as saying during a diplomatic visit to the Romanian capital of Bucharest. "The [German] Foreign Ministry is doing everything in its power," Merkel said. Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said the two detained German had links with counter-revolutionary elements. "The two nationals have had connections with counter-revolutionary elements and were jugged for this reason," Mehmanparast said in his weekly press conference on Tuesday. He said that the two contacted the Ashtiani family pretending to be journalists in order to gather information and write a report about her. Authorities were notified by a person close to the family who became suspicious about the foreigners' visit, Iran's judiciary front man said on Monday. "It turned out that the two people were not journalists -- or that they had no proof for it, and had entered the country as tourists," Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei said. Mehmanparast added that individuals residing in Germany made preparations for the two German nationals to go to the Ashtiani family. The spokesperson underlined the case is being investigated. |
| Posted by: |