Arash Ghaleh-Golab was at a mourning ceremony in Khuzestan province when he was arrested
 Committee to Protect Journalists: ‘The authorities must cease arbitrarily locking up members of the press’ LONDON: The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday urged Iranian authorities to release a freelance reporter who was detained by state security forces. Sources in Iran told the CPJ that Arash Ghaleh-Golab was at a mourning ceremony on May 26 near the Metropol building — which recently collapsed, killing 31 in Abadan city in the southwestern Khuzestan province — when he was arrested. A source familiar with the case told the CPJ that during the arrest, officers hit Ghaleh-Golab and kicked him. The CPJ said he is still detained without charge at an undisclosed location, and has not been allowed to contact his family. It is unclear if Ghaleh-Golab attended the mourning ceremony as a private citizen or in his capacity as a journalist. “Iranian authorities must understand that they can’t hide the country’s difficult realities and problems by silencing and jailing journalists,” said Justin Shilad, the CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa senior researcher. “The authorities must free journalist Arash Ghaleh-Golab immediately and unconditionally and cease the practice of arbitrarily locking up members of the press.” Ghaleh-Golab writes political commentary and opinion pieces, according to the CPJ’s anonymous source, and has recently contributed to state-run media. He was reportedly arrested in 2016 following his critical commentary of state policies. His arrest comes amid a political atmosphere in Abadan that was tense even before the building collapse. Communities in Khuzestan have been blighted by extreme food and water shortages that have affected much of Iran. This tension boiled over after the Metropol collapsed, sparking fresh waves of anti-regime demonstrations, with security forces responding violently. The CPJ emailed the Iranian mission to the UN in New York but did not receive a response.