Individual Arrested for Writing Anti-regime Slogan on Wall

An individual was arrested for writing slogans on the Ministry of Intelligence’s wall and setting his own car on fire in Azerbaijan Province’s Urmia City. A video circulated on social media showed a security agent pointing a gun at him.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, a citizen was arrested for writing a slogan on the wall and setting his vehicle on fire. 

As an act of protest, this unidentified individual first set his vehicle which was parked by the Ministry of Intelligence on fire in Urmia and then began to write slogans on the wall of the ministry’s office.

 The media outlets inside Iran and officials have not reacted to this incident so far. Yet, a video showing a security agent pointing a gun toward the protestor from about a short distance has become viral on social media.

Civil Activist Monireh Arabshahi Hospitalized for Poor Health Conditions

On Sunday, May 1, 2022, imprisoned civil activist Monireh Arabshahi was hospitalized due to poor health conditions.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Sunday, May 1, 2022, civil activist Monireh Arabshahi, who is currently jailed in Kachooie Prison in Karaj City, was dispatched to a hospital outside the prison.

She was sent to a prison health facility first and after a few hours, dispatched to a hospital outside the prison.

An informed source told HRANA: ” after surgery and Thyroid drainage, Arabshahi has to be under medical care by a physician to check her hormone levels, which is not possible in prison. Nonetheless, the prosecutor does not grant any medical furlough.”

Earlier, on August 4, 2021, Arabshahi was sent on medical furlough and on October 4, 2021, forced to return to prison despite unfinished medical treatment.

Also, on July 31, 2021, Arabshahi was dispatched to a hospital and was sent back to prison a day after without adequate medical treatment.   

Despite poor health conditions, which make her unable to endure imprisonment, Arabshahi is still jailed in Kachooie Prison in Karaj City.

Yasaman Aryani, Arabshahi’s daughter and an outspoken opponent of the compulsory hijab in Iran, who had been released after serving out her sentence on February 14, 2019, was also arrested again on April 10, 2019, on new charges.

One day after the arrest of her daughter, Arabshahi was also arrested and both were relocated to Gharchak Prison. Subsequently, both were sent to Evin Prison and finally to Kachooye Prison in Karaj.

Subsequently, Branch 28 of the revolutionary court convicted the mother and daughter to a total of 16 years in prison, which were later reduced to a total of 9 years and 7 months. They were charged with “assembly and collusion against national security”, “propaganda against the regime”,  and “provoking and provisioning of impurity and indecency”.

Nine Teacher Union Activists Indicted in Saqqez

Nine Teacher Union Activists in the city of Saqqez in Kurdistan Province were indicted by the Public and Revolutionary Court of Saqqez. These individuals were identified as Awat Razavi, Leila Enayat-Zadeh, Taher Hamedi, Taher Ghaderzadeh, Amanj Amini, Aziz Marzi, Ahmad Ghaderi, Khaled Abdollahi, and Soleiman Abdi.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Telegram account “Teachers’ Union” (Kanale Senfi Moaleman), nine teachers who had been arrested during teachers’ protest in Saqqez were indicted.

The report did not mention the charges against these teachers.

 

Seven Arrested Teachers Released, Four Teachers’ Detention Extended

On Monday, May 2, 2022, seven teachers who had been arrested during teachers’ protests in Bushehr were freed, while four teachers’ pretrial detentions were extended by 72 days.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, seven teachers who were arrested during the teachers’ protest in Bushehr last Sunday were released and four teachers’ detention was extended by 72 days.

Reportedly, these released teachers have been identified as Hamid Khojasteh, Mohammad-Reza Akbari, Ardeshir Sayyadi, Yousef Sayyadi, Fereydoun Shafiee, Mohammad Melaki and Naser Zendeh-boodi. The detentions of four teachers identified as Reza Amanifar, Asghar Hajeb, Mohsen Omrani and Mahmood Melaki were extended by72 days by the order of the prosecutor’s office.

These teachers had been arrested by the police in Bushehr last Sunday.

On Sunday, May 1, in response to a call by the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association, the retired and working teachers in 45 cities assembled in front of the building of the Ministry of Education. In Mariwan and Bushehr, these protests were attacked by the police and several protestors were arrested. 

Two Teacher Union Activists Arrested in Mariwan

Security forces in Kurdistan Province arrested two teacher union activists, Jabbar Doosti and Mehdi Tafsiri in Mariwan and transferred them to an unidentified location. Two other teachers and residents of Mariwan, Aram Ghaderi and Aram Mohammadi were also beaten by security forces. Aram Ghaderi was then arrested and released after a few hours of interrogation.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting the Telegram channel of the Coordination Council of the Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association, two teacher union activists, Jabbar Doosti and Mehdi Tafsiri were arrested by security forces.

The video received by HRANA shows a teachers’ gathering in Mariwan before the Ministry of Education was taken over by the police force.

In recent days, and especially since the Teacher Appreciation Week in Iran is close, many teachers and educators have been summoned or arrested by security and judicial institutions.

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Teacher Union Activist Fatemeh Bahmani Arrested

On Sunday, May 1, 2022, security forces arrested teacher union activist Fatemeh Bahmani at her house and transferred her to an unidentified location. During the arrest, the agents searched her house and confiscated some of her and her family’s belongings including laptops and cell phones.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Sunday, May 1, 2022,  on International Workers’ Day, security forces arrested teacher union activist Fatemeh Bahmani in Tehran.

Mrs. Bahmani had been arrested on a prior occasion on December 24, 2021,  and released after a few hours of interrogation.

 In 2018,  Mrs. Bahmani was arrested with her husband during a teachers’ sit-in strike in Arak City and sent to prison. Subsequently, in two separate legal cases, Bahmani and her husband were sentenced to two years of suspended imprisonment, which lasts for three years, and a fine of 8 million tomans.

The reason for this arrest, the charges and Bahmani’s whereabouts are still unknown.

Civil Activist Elvar Gholivand Sent to Prison to Serve Sentence

On Saturday, April 30, 2022, civil activist Elvar Gholivand was sent to Evin Prison to serve his three years sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on Saturday, April 30, 2022, Elvar Gholivand was sent to Evin prison for sentencing.

On October 6, 2020, security forces arrested Gholivand with three other civil activists in Tehran and transferred them to Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

On November 9, 2020, Gholivand was released on bail for the duration of the legal proceedings. Subsequently, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment.

Baha’is Cemetery in Hamedan Partly Demolished

Recently, a Baha’is cemetery in Hamedan Province was partly demolished overnight. As a result of provoking anti-Baha’i sentiments by the Iranian officials, Baha’i citizens’ business locations and cemeteries come under attack periodically.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a Baha’i cemetery in Hamedan was partly destroyed overnight by unknown individuals.

Simin Fahandej, the spokesperson of the Bahá’í International Community told HRANA, “The Mortuary and praying hall of this cemetery has been partly demolished. It is not known which institution has instigated the perpetrators to take this action. This demolition had caused the collapse of the roof. It is one of the regime’s cruellest acts against the Baha’is community that they are not allowed to have a burial place for their deceased ones.”

In recent years, other Baha’i cemeteries in various cities, including Qorveh, Sanandaj, Kerman, Shiraz and Urmia have been demolished.

According to unofficial sources, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Baha’is live in Iran, but the Iranian Constitution recognizes only Islam as the official religion, in addition to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Bahai faith is not considered legitimate by the authorities, and the rights of Baha’is in Iran have been systematically violated for years.

Freedom of religion is a breach of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations Covenant holds that every person has the right to practice religion freely, freedom of converting to a religion, as well as freedom of expression, individually or collectively; openly or secretly.

Christian Convert Shuresh Mohammadi Fallah Sentenced to One Year in Prison 

Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Christian Convert Shuresh Mohammadi Fallah to one year in prison and a fine. On July 18, 2021, he was arrested by security forces and released on bail on November 3, 2021.  

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Christian convert Shuresh Mohammadi Fallah was sentenced to one year in prison and a five-million-tomans fine on the charge of “acting against national security through membership in Evangelical Christian home church.”

On July 18, 2021, IRGC Intelligence agents arrested and transferred Mohammadi Fallah to a detention facility in Tehran. He was held for 35 days in solitary confinement. Subsequently, he was indicted by Branch 3 of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office and after completing the interrogation process, he was sent to the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.

On November 3, 2021, he was released temporarily on a 500 million tomans bail.

The persecution of Christian converts stands in blatant violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which state that every individual has the right to freedom of religion and belief and freedom to express it openly or secretly.

 

 

Twenty-Two Protestors Arrested during Protest against the Pollution of Landfills   

On Thursday, April 29, 2022, 22 residents of Saravan Village, were arrested. In recent weeks, residents of Saravan Village in Rasht Province held protests to get the officials’ attention to the local landfill sites, which have insects, toxins, and leachate to come to the area.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting IRIB News Agency, 22 individuals were arrested during the protest against the pollution caused by landfills in the forests near Saravan Village in Rasht Province.

Confirming the arrest of these protestors, Majid Rasoulzadeh, the Social and Cultural Deputy of the Gilan Police Department, claimed that during the clash with protestors, five police officers were injured and one was hospitalized.

Photos and videos circulated on social media, however, showing that the police have used violence against the protestors.