FBI Denies Halal Food, Removes Hijab of Iran’s TV Anchor in Detention
TEHRAN (Basirat) : Marzieh Hashemi, a US-born Iranian journalist has been mysteriously detained and denied access to Halal food by the FBI after she was apprehended at St. Louis Lambert International Airport while traveling to visit family.
English-language Press TV television news says its journalist and anchor Marzieh
Hashemi was detained at the Airport in Missouri and sent to Washington DC, where
she is currently being held in an FBI detention facility.
Press TV further reported that Hashemi’s family in a statement said she has been
kept with no charges and no reason was given for her detention. They also said
that her hijab "had been removed against her will” during custody, and that US
officials denied her access to halal or vegan food for several days, leaving her
with only pretzels and bread.
Iranian and US social media activists started a campaign to ask for her freedom
using hashtags such as: #FreeMarziehHashemi, #PrayForMarziehHashemi, and #FreePresstvJournalist.
Hashimi was born as Melanie Franklin in New Orleans, Louisiana. She moved to
Iran in 2008. She was on a trip to visit her ill brother and other relatives
when she was detained.
Hashimi’s relatives reportedly lost contact with her for 48 hours and only
recently learned that she was being held by the US authorities.
Source:Tasnim
