Parvaz Deported to Iran over Paperwork 'Violations'

A Canadian Al Jazeera reporter is still being held in Iran, but where, or why, or for how much longer is uncertain.

Iranian authorities commented for the first time on Dorothy Parvaz, the Canadian journalist working for Al Jazeera who was deported from Syria to Iran while trying to cover anti-government protests in Damascus. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said Parvaz, who holds Canadian, American, and Iranian citizenship, committed multiple “violations” while trying to enter Syria on April 29, including not having an official press pass and travelling on an expired Iranian passport. Little else was said about Parvaz, such as where she was being held or what condition she is in. Her family, based in British Columbia, has appealed for her release, or even for an update on her health, but Iran has so far not been forthcoming.