Mehdi Beyk, the political editor of the reformist newspaper Etemad, was released one day after his detention. The journalist had been arrested on December 29, 2025, while covering a report on the strike and protests by merchants in Tehran.
According to reports received by the Defending Free Flow of Information Organization (DeFFI), Mehdi Beyk was released on the evening of December 30, 2025. He was detained by police forces after being present among Tehran’s shopkeepers and merchants.
Since December 28, 2025, Tehran’s Grand Bazaar has witnessed strikes by shopkeepers and street protests over the surging dollar price and Iran’s economic crisis. These protests, which have gradually spread to other areas of Tehran and various cities across Iran, continue into their fifth day.
In the past five days, Tehran’s bazaar and surrounding streets, along with several Iranian universities and cities nationwide, have seen anti-government protests. What began as limited demonstrations against Iran’s economic crisis quickly took on a political character, with chants against Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, and the governing system becoming a prominent feature. The response from Iran’s police and security forces has involved unrestrained violence. Initial reports indicate injuries and deaths among protesting citizens.