After several days in Iranian custody, the Russian journalist Julia Jusik has been released. Iran has left the 38-year-old after the efforts of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian Embassy in Tehran, said diplomats on Twitter. "The story is over, Julia is already in Moscow," wrote Jusik's husband on Facebook on Thursday.
The reporter was arrested in Tehran last week. According to an Iranian government spokesman, she was accused of violating the entry requirements. The Russian embassy, however, said Jusik was accused of working for Israeli intelligence agencies. Shortly after the arrest, Russia protested against the move and quoted the Iranian ambassador to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow.
In Iran, foreigners are usually expelled from the country for visa abuses but not arrested. It is different when there is suspicion of illegal activities - such as espionage. It is also illegal, however, when journalists without a press visa come to the country with a tourist visa and work journalistically without the knowledge of the Press Office. The Iranian security authorities are sensitive to this.
Jusik worked for several media, including the Russian edition of the magazine Newsweek. She is also the author of two books, including "Beslan School" about the hostage drama at a primary school in the Northeast of Caucasus in 2004. At least 330 people, including 186 children, died in the raid of the Chechen rebels.
In 2016 Jusik was in the Russian Republic of Dagestan in the North Caucasus as an independent candidate for the State Duma. She received support from the People's Liberty Party (Parnas), co-chaired by former Prime Minister and Kremlin critic Mikhail Kasyanov.
