TEHRAN, Aug. 21 (MNA) –An Iranian media has denounced the detention, imprisonment, and questioning of Richard Medhurst, a British journalist and media activist.

The Permanent Secretariat of the Sobh International Media Festival issued a statement on Tuesday, vehemently denouncing the detention of Richard Medhurst at London's Heathrow Airport.

The Secretariat described the arrest as a retaliatory act by Zionist entities and lobbies against Medhurst's endeavors to reveal the crimes of Zionists and the American-Israeli genocide against the people of Gaza.

The festival called on international institutions related to journalists to condemn the killing of journalists in Palestine and the arrest, pressure, and intimidation of journalists worldwide, including Medhurst.

In a video posted on his X account on Tuesday, Medhurst said that he was arrested on Thursday at London’s Heathrow Airport and held in custody for almost 24 hours.

The journalist denounced his arrest as “pre-planned” and “coordinated", noting that many people have been detained in Britain because of their journalistic activities.

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