Families of Australian-British bloggers detained in Iran call for release
September 12, 2019, 8:55 am

Families of Australian-British bloggers detained in Iran call for release

Travel blogger Jolie King, an Australian-British national, and her Australian boyfriend Mark Firkin were arrested 10 weeks ago for allegedly flying a drone without a license. (Via Instagram)

The couple detained in Iran’s latest arrests of foreigners visiting the county have been named as their families called for their release on Thursday.

Travel blogger Jolie King, an Australian-British national, and her Australian boyfriend Mark Firkin were arrested 10 weeks ago for allegedly flying a drone without a license.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkwFiaXnRBh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

King’s and Firkin’s relatives have appealed for their release, after their detainment became public on Wenesday. “Our families hope to see Mark and Jolie safely home as soon as possible,” they said in a statement obtained by Sky news.

The family added that they would like to have privacy at this time, and would not be making any further comments.

Government reactions

Australia on Thursday called on Tehran to treat “humanely” three citizens detained in Iran, after the names of the detained couple were released.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne said she had raised the cases “many times” with her Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif, including as recently as last week.

“The government has been making efforts to ensure they are treated fairly, humanely and in accordance with international norms,” she said, adding that there was “no reason” to believe the arrests were politically motivated.

Perth-based King and Firkin had been documenting their journey from home to Britain on social media for the past two years but went silent after posting updates from Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan about 10 weeks ago.

The UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace called on Iran on Wednesday “to release those who have been detained and follow the rule of law,” after two British-Australian women were jailed in Iran.

British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab also raised concerns about the number of dual-nationality Britons detained in Iran and the conditions in which they were being held, a foreign office statement said on Wednesday.

Australia urged Australians to avoid travelling to Iran as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was providing consular assistance to the detained trio.

A history of detaining foreigners

Another unnamed British-Australian academic has also been detained for almost a year. The woman was given a 10-year prison sentence and is being held in solitary confinement, British newspaper The Times reported. The charges against her are still unknown.

The three are being held in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, where British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 41, has been detained since 2016 on spying charges. The UK rejects the charges.

According to The Times, Iranian authorities told King that she was being held as part of a plan to facilitate a prisoner swap with Australia.

In August, an Iranian appeals court upheld a 10-year jail sentence against Aras Amiri, a British Council employee, for “cultural infiltration.”

Amiri was detained in 2018 on a visit to see relatives in Iran.

(AFP)

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.