AFP, Ottawa, July 9, 2009 – Canada said Thursday it had summoned Iran’s top diplomat in Ottawa to demand the release of a detained Iranian-Canadian journalist, and warned Canadians to avoid non-essential travel to the country.
’Canada is gravely concerned about the continuing detention of Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari, and by the Iranian regime’s unrelenting disregard for basic human rights, including freedom of expression, which continue to be deliberately ignored,’ Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said.
The diplomatic discussion about Iranian-born Bahari, a Canadian citizen who was arrested in Iran on June 21, came as Canada’s foreign ministry website warned Canadians to ’avoid all non-essential travel’ to Iran.
Bahari, a journalist with Newsweek magazine who has lived in Iran for 10 years, has not been charged by Iranian authorities.
Cannon said he had called on Bahram Ghasemi, the Iranian charge d’affaires in Canada, to release Bahari and ’reiterated Canada’s demand for immediate consular access, full legal rights and protection for Mr Bahari, as well as clarification of the allegations against him.’
Bahari and a local employee of the British embassy in Tehran, also arrested during sometimes violent protests in the wake of Iran’s disputed elections last month, are accused of having acted against national security, their lawyers said.
On July 1, Newsweek called for Bahari’s release and denied Iranian media allegations that the journalist took part in a Western media campaign to promote unfavorable coverage of Iran.
The Canadian foreign ministry website notes that Iran does not recognize the Canadian citizenship of Iranians who hold dual nationality, which limits Canada’s ability to intervene in such cases.
But Cannon said Thursday that Canada ’will continue to press Iran for action in resolving’ Bahari detention.