Russian journalist Yulia Yuzik has been detained in Iran on suspicion of espionage, according to her family members and Russian media reports.
Yuzik’s disappearance was first announced by her daughter, who said her mother was arrested “in another country” and that her trial was scheduled for this Saturday. She faces up to 10 years on charges of cooperating with Israeli intelligence, journalist Boris Voytsekhovskiy wrote on Facebook.
“They took her passport on arrival in Tehran and told her they’ll give it back on her departure,” Voytsekhovskiy, identified as Yuzik’s ex-husband, told the RBC news website Friday.
“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps broke into her hotel room yesterday and accused her of cooperating with Israeli security services,” Voytsekhovskiy said.
Russia’s Embassy in Tehran told Russian outlets including RBC that it was aware of Yuzik’s detention and was “dealing with the situation.”
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote that the Iranian ambassador to Moscow has been summoned to “clarify” the circumstances of Yuzik’s detention.
Yulia Yuzik will be released soon, the state-run RIA news agency quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi as saying on Friday.
Yuzik worked in Iran as a correspondent a few years ago and returned there recently on an invitation by an unknown party, Voytsekhovskiy wrote.