On November 9, 2024, judicial agents arrested Saeed HosseiniNejad, the manager of the Telegram channel “Punel Khabar,” to serve his prison sentence. Following his arrest, this media activist was transferred to “Ziabar” Prison in Gilan Province.
According to a report published on the Punel Khabar Telegram channel, Saeed HosseiniNejad’s arrest occurred after the confirmation of his prison sentence by the appellate court for enforcement. Previously, he had been sentenced to 14 months in prison on charges of “spreading falsehoods with the intent to disturb public opinion,” following a complaint by Hassan Mohammadiyari, a retired judge and former member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly.
Saeed HosseiniNejad is the manager of the Telegram channel “Punel Khabar” and resides in Rezvanshahr, Gilan Province. He faced judicial action due to his publication of critical videos from citizens about urban issues and his dissemination of critical notes regarding the ineffectiveness of the representative of the Islamic Consultative Assembly from the Rezvanshahr constituency.
Based on an audio file released on the Punel Khabar Telegram channel, in October 2023, Mohammad Mahdinejad, the Friday prayer leader of Rezvanshahr, threatened to kill Saeed HosseiniNejad during his Friday sermon for criticizing government officials, referring to him as a “foolish clown,” and called on the judicial and security institutions in Rezvanshahr to take action against this media activist.