Category: Labor and Guilds

Four Teachers’ Union Activists Held Without Charge After May Day Protest

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Labor and Guilds, News, Prisoners
Ahmad Heydari, Evin Prison, Hossein Ebadian, Mehdi Farahi Shandiz, Vali Mirza Seyedi

HRANA News Agency – Vali Mirza Seyedi, Ahmad Heydari, Hossein Ebadian, and Mehdi Farahi Shandiz, four teachers’ union activists, remain held in Ward 209 of Evin Prison. They were arrested last week during a protest in Tehran on International Workers’ Day.

According to HRANA, quoting the Telegram channel of the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Union Organizations, the four activists are still in custody.
The report states that Vali Mirza Seyedi, Ahmad Heydari, and Hossein Ebadian are retired teachers, while Mehdi Farahi Shandiz is a former part-time teacher. They are currently detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison without formal charges.

As of the time this report was prepared, no information has been released about the charges brought against these union activists.

Hossein Ebadian, a retired teacher from Malayer and resident of Shahriar, was arrested on Thursday, May 1, during a teachers’ protest in Tehran held in conjunction with International Workers’ Day. Mehdi Farahi Shandiz and Ahmad Heydari were also arrested during the same protest.

Mahmoud Sedighipour Arrested Following Summons by Security Police

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Gilan province, Mahmoud Sedighipour, محمود صدیقی پور

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, April 30, Mahmoud Sedighipour, a teachers’ union activist in Gilan Province, was summoned and subsequently arrested by the Security Police.

According to the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Mr. Sedighipour was summoned to the Security Police in Rasht this afternoon, where he was then arrested.

Earlier in the day, he had been interrogated and threatened by the same agency for refusing to refrain from participating in a teachers’ union gathering.

As of the time of this report, there is no information available regarding his whereabouts or the specific charges against him.

Mahmoud Sedighipour (محمود صدیقی پور) has previously faced imprisonment and other legal penalties due to his union-related activities.

Teachers’ Union Activist Mansoureh Erfanian Sentenced to Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Mansoureh Erfanian, Mashhad, Vakilabad prison

HRANA News Agency – Mansoureh Erfanian, a teachers’ union activist, has been sentenced to three months in prison by Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court.

The verdict, issued by Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, was officially communicated to Ms. Erfanian on Tuesday, April 21, 2025. She was sentenced to three months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime” through the publication of content on social media. According to the ruling, she was acquitted of the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security.”

Ms. Erfanian was previously arrested by security forces in October 2023 and released a week later from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad after posting bail.

Mansoureh Erfanian, a teachers’ union activist based in Mashhad, has a prior record of arrest due to her activism.

Hossein Ramezanpour Sentenced to Two Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Bojnurd, Hossein Ramezanpour, حسین رمضانپور

HRANA News Agency – Hossein Ramezanpour, a union activist and a member of the board of directors of the North Khorasan Teachers’ Trade Association, has been sentenced to two years in prison by Branch 105 of the Criminal Court Two of Bojnord County.

According to the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Mr. Ramezanpour was sentenced to two years in prison by Branch 105 of the Criminal Court Two of Bojnurd County on the charge of “spreading falsehoods with the intent to disturb public opinion.”

Ramezanpour is a union activist and a member of the board of directors of the North Khorasan Teachers’ Trade Association. He has a history of security-related confrontations and, in October 2024, his previous sentence — which he was serving outside of prison with an electronic ankle monitor — was converted to an open prison sentence.

Teacher’s Union Activist Kobra Taherkhani Sentenced to Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
irgc, IRGC Intelligence, Kobra Taherkhani, Pari Taherkhani, Qazvin, کبری طاهرخانی

HRANA News Agency – Kobra (Pari) Taherkhani, a teachers’ union activist in Qazvin, has been sentenced by Branch 2 of the Qazvin Revolutionary Court to three years in prison and a three-year travel ban.

According to the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, the verdict was issued on March 16, 2025, and formally communicated to Ms. Taherkhani. She received two years in prison for insulting the Supreme Leader and one year for propaganda against the regime. Additionally, she was sentenced to a three-year travel ban as a supplementary punishment.

The charges against Ms. Taherkhani were partly based on content published on her Instagram page.

Earlier, on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, she was summoned for interrogation at Branch 1 of the Qazvin Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office. After being formally charged, she was released on bail.

Prior to that, on December 2, 2024, IRGC Intelligence agents raided her home in Qazvin, interrogated her for several hours, and confiscated her mobile phone and laptop.

Kobra (Pari) Taherkhani is a teachers’ union activist with 26 years of experience and currently serves as the principal of a lower secondary school in Qazvin Province.

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Appeals Court Upholds Prison Sentence for Teacher Union Activist Hossein Vahedi

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Bojnourd, Dariush Ashkani, Hossein Vahedi

HRANA News Agency – The one-year prison sentence of Hossein Vahedi (Dariush Ashkani), a board member of the North Khorasan Teachers’ Trade Association, has been upheld in full by Branch 2 of the province’s Appeals Court.

Based on the ruling recently issued and communicated to him by Branch 2 of the North Khorasan Appeals Court, he has been sentenced to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

In December 2024, Branch 1 of the Bojnourd Revolutionary Court had initially sentenced Hossein Vahedi to one year in prison on the same charge.

Hossein Vahedi, an inspector of the North Khorasan Teachers’ Trade Association, has previously faced legal action and convictions.

Journalist Azhdar Piri Sentenced to One Year in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Azhadar Piri, Karaj, Ministry of Intelligence, اژدر پیری

HRANA News Agency – Azhdar (Ajdar) Piri Sarmanlou, editor-in-chief of the Pazhuhesh-e Melal monthly magazine, has been sentenced by Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj to one year in prison and a two-year ban on online activities.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Mr. Piri was convicted of ‘propaganda against the regime’ and ‘insulting officials and agents.’ The verdict, issued in January by the Revolutionary Court of Karaj, also imposes a two-year prohibition on membership and activity on social media as additional penalties.

Earlier, on October 21, 2024, Mr. Piri was arrested at his residence in Karaj by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence. He was transferred to one of the city’s security detention facilities, where he was denied access to legal counsel throughout his detention. After 21 days, Mr. Piri was moved to Karaj Central Prison upon the completion of interrogations. He was released three days later on a bail of 200 million tomans (approximately 3,300 dollars).

Azhdar Piri Sarmanlou, 36, originally from Urmia and currently residing in Karaj, serves as the editor-in-chief of Pazhuhesh-e Melal magazine.

Four Teachers’ Union Activists in Khuzestan Sentenced to a Total of 24 Years in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
ahvaz, Ali Koroushat, HRANA, Iranian Teacher Union Activist, Kokab Bodaqi-Panah, Pirooz Nami, Siamak Sadeghi Chehrazi

Siamak Sadeghi Chehrazi, Kokab Bodaqi-Panah, Pirooz Nami, and Ali Koroushat, teachers’ union activists in Khuzestan, have been sentenced by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court to a combined total of 24 years in prison in a joint case.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the four union activists were sentenced by Branch 3 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court. On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, they were verbally informed of their sentences. Each was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” and one year for “propaganda against the regime,” amounting to a total of 24 years for all four activists.

The court hearing for their case took place on November 6, 2024, in the same branch.

Kokab Bodaqi-Panah, a teachers’ union activist in Khuzestan, had previously been charged by Branch 13 of the Prosecutor’s Office in Ahvaz in October 2024 and was released on bail following her indictment.

Siamak Sadeghi Chehrazi, Pirooz Nami, and Ali Koroushat have faced prior legal actions due to their union activities.

Teacher Ahmad Derakhshan Sentenced to One Year in Prison and Additional Penalties

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Ahmad Derakhshan, Karaj, revolutionary court, احمد درخشان

Ahmad Derakhshan, a teacher and writer, has been sentenced to one year in prison by Branch 2 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court on charges of “propaganda against the regime.”

In addition to the prison term, he has been subjected to supplementary penalties, including a two-year ban on membership in social groups, a two-year travel ban, prohibition from teaching, and dismissal from governmental and public services for two years following the completion of his prison sentence.

The verdict was recently issued and verbally communicated to Derakhshan’s lawyer.

In September 2024, Derakhshan was summoned to Branch 13 of the Karaj Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office, where he was formally charged. He was released shortly thereafter on bail.

Ahmad Derakhshan, a resident of Karaj, has faced repeated summons and interrogations regarding this case. In November 2024, a court session was held to examine the charges against him.

Derakhshan, known for his work as both a teacher and writer, has long been an advocate for educational and social issues, making his sentencing a matter of concern for those monitoring human rights in Iran.

Teacher Hamid Azizi Arrested in Kamyaran

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Labor and Guilds, News
Hamid Azizi, Kamyaran

On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, Hamid Azizi, a rural school teacher in Kamyaran, was arrested after being summoned to the security office of the Kamyaran Department of Education and transferred to an undisclosed location.

Kurdpa’s report states that Mr. Azizi was arrested after being summoned to the security office of the Department of Education in Kamyaran and taken to an unknown location. Despite his family’s efforts, they have been unable to obtain any information about his fate, and four days after his detention, his whereabouts remain unknown.

The reasons for his arrest and the charges against him have not yet been disclosed.

Hamid Azizi is a PhD graduate in Communications and Media Studies from Allameh Tabataba’i University in Tehran and a teacher in two villages in Kamyaran County.