Tag: Hashem Khastar

World Teachers’ Day: At Least 47 Iranian Teachers Imprisoned, Detained, or in Exile

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News, Prisoners, Publications
Abbas Bagheri, Abolfazl Khoran, Ahanali Jahandideh, Ahmad Alizadeh, Alan Hekmatirad, Ali Ahmadi, Alireza Mardasi, Alireza Shaygan, Aman Jalalinezhad, Ameneh Biraqdari, Amir Rahimi, Arman Shahpourikho, Bakhtiar Rezvani, Farhad Rahmani, Fatemeh Zarei, Forouzan Yektaei, Hashem Khastar, Hossein Khaleghi, Hossein Ramezanpour, Iraj Toubeiha, Javad Laal Mohammadi, Javad Safari, Mahmoud Heidarian, Masoud Farhikhteh, Masoud Kiani, Mastoureh Narimani, Mehdi Farahi Shandiz, Milad Khorshidi, Mohammad Hassan Davoudi, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, Mohammad Rafi Sadeghi, Mohsen Khodaei, Mojtaba Iravi, Reza Amanifar, Reza Gerami, Reza Kamalvand, Reza Taheri, Sabah Valadbeigi, Sadegh Sedaghat, Sattar Zarei, Shervin Hamideh, Shokrollah Ahmadi, Siamak Sadeghi Chehrazi, Sina Karimi-Mofrad, Sirous Sattarnezhad, Yousef Amini, Zahra Arefi Mehr

HRANA – At least 47 current and retired teachers across Iran are imprisoned, detained, or serving sentences of exile, according to data compiled by HRANA on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day. Of those, 13 are serving prison sentences, 32 remain in detention, and two are serving court-ordered exile. This report provides an overview of their latest known status and focuses exclusively on their current circumstances.

World Teachers’ Day, observed annually on October 5, has been commemorated since 1994 and marks the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. The document addresses, among other issues, teachers’ rights and responsibilities, conditions of employment, and standards for their working conditions and education.

Overview of Teachers’ Current Status

CategoryNumber
Total individuals47
Serving prison sentences13
In detention32
Serving sentences of exile2
Geographic scope19 provinces

 

These 47 teachers are spread across 19 provinces in Iran. Razavi Khorasan has the highest number on the list, with eight individuals. It is followed by Fars and Khuzestan provinces, with five each; North Khorasan, with four; and Alborz and West Azerbaijan, with three each.

Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Markazi, Isfahan, and Tehran each have two individuals on the list, while Lorestan, Bushehr, Kerman, Zanjan, Gilan, Qazvin, and Ilam each have one.

Names of the 47 Teachers:

Shokrollah Ahmadi, Masoud Farhikhteh, Milad Khorshidi, Amir Rahimi, Reza Amanifar, Ali Ahmadi, Mohammad Rafi Sadeghi, Sabah Valadbeigi, Siamak Sadeghi Chehrazi, Mojtaba Iravi, Mohammad Hassan Davoudi, Bakhtiar Rezvani, Javad Safari, Forouzan Yektaei, Hossein Khaleghi, Ahanali Jahandideh, Hashem Khastar, Javad Laal-Mohammadi, Mohsen Khodaei, Iraj Toubeiha, Shervin Hamideh, Masoud Kiani, Hossein Ramezanpour, Mahmoud Heidarian, Reza Taheri, Sirous Sattarnezhad, Mastoureh Narimani, Farhad Rahmani, Ahmad Alizadeh, Sina Karimi-Mofrad, Sadegh Sedaghat, Abolfazl Khoran, Mehdi Farahi Shandiz, Alireza Mardasi, Aman Jalalinezhad, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, Reza Kamalvand, Yousef Amini, Zahra Arefi-Mehr, Alireza Shaygan, Arman Shahpourikho, Alan Hekmatirad, Reza Gerami, Ameneh Biraqdari, Fatemeh Zarei, Sattar Zarei, and Abbas Bagheri.

Among those on the list, Alireza Mardasi has been sentenced to death on two counts and one year in prison. The sentences issued against Javad Laal-Mohammadi total 21 years in prison, a portion of which is enforceable. Hashem Khastar has been sentenced to 18 years and six months in prison, while Mohammad Hossein Sepehri has been sentenced to 11 years and nine months in prison.

Teachers Serving Prison Sentences

According to available information, 13 teachers are currently serving their sentences:

• Masoud Farhikhteh – Sentenced to five years, one month, and 17 days in prison and is serving his sentence at Karaj Central Penitentiary.

• Amir Rahimi – Sentenced to four years in prison and is incarcerated at Dorud Prison.

• Mohammad Hassan Davoudi – Sentenced to three years, four months, and two days in prison and is serving his sentence at Urmia Prison.

• Javad Safari – Sentenced to five years in prison and a fine and is incarcerated at Zanjan Prison.

• Abolfazl Khoran – Sentenced to a total of six years and five months in prison and 74 lashes and is serving his sentence at Arak Prison.

• Hashem Khastar – Has been in detention and prison since August 2019. He was sentenced to 18 years and six months in prison, two years of exile, and a two-year ban on leaving the country. He is currently incarcerated at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

• Javad Laal-Mohammadi – Has been in detention and prison since October 2021. His sentences total 21 years in prison, a portion of which is enforceable. In August 2026, he was also dismissed from the Ministry of Education by the Primary Board for Administrative Violations of Employees of the Razavi Khorasan Department of Education.

• Mohammad Hossein Sepehri – Sentenced to 11 years and nine months in prison and dismissal from the Ministry of Education. He is serving his sentence at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

• Aman Jalalinezhad – Sentenced by a criminal court to three years and six months in prison and is incarcerated at Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz.

• Arman Shahpourikho – Currently serving a two-year prison sentence at Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz.

• Reza Kamalvand – Currently serving a five-year prison sentence and has been suspended from his job. He is held at Esfarayen Prison.

• Alireza Mardasi – Incarcerated at Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz and sentenced to death on two counts and one year in prison. According to available information, his sentence has been upheld by the Supreme Court.

• Ameneh Biraqdari – Arrested in January 2026 and transferred to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. She was subsequently sentenced to one year in prison. After accepting the verdict and waiving her right to appeal, her sentence was reduced to eight months.

Teachers in Detention

In addition to the teachers sentenced to prison, 32 other teachers remain in detention. They are being held in prisons in various cities across the country, and in several cases, their exact place of detention or the charges brought against them remain unknown.

Fars: Shokrollah Ahmadi, Ali Ahmadi, Hossein Khaleghi, Ahanali Jahandideh, and Sadegh Sedaghat are in detention. Shokrollah Ahmadi was arrested in Nurabad, Mamasani, on September 25, 2026, and, following interrogation, was transferred to the city’s prison. Five other teachers who were arrested at the same time were later released on bail.

Razavi Khorasan: Zahra Arefi-Mehr, Alireza Shaygan, Reza Gerami, and Fatemeh Zarei are in detention.

Kurdistan: Milad Khorshidi and Mojtaba Iravi are in detention.

Khuzestan: Siamak Sadeghi Chehrazi and Mastoureh Narimani are in detention.

North Khorasan: Hossein Ramezanpour, Mahmoud Heidarian, and Abbas Bagheri are in detention.

Alborz: Shervin Hamideh and Reza Taheri are in detention.

Kermanshah: Sabah Valadbeigi and Masoud Kiani are in detention.

Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad: Bakhtiar Rezvani and Sina Karimi-Mofrad are in detention.

Tehran: Mehdi Farahi Shandiz and Sirous Sattarnezhad are in detention.

Additionally, Reza Amanifar in Bushehr, Mohammad Rafi Sadeghi in Sirjan, Forouzan Yektaei in Rasht, Mohsen Khodaei in Javersian, Farhad Rahmani in Takestan, Yousef Amini in Bukan, Alan Hekmatirad in Naqadeh, and Sattar Zarei in Khomeyni Shahr remain in detention.

Teachers Serving Sentences of Exile

In addition to those imprisoned or detained, two teachers are currently serving sentences of exile. Iraj Toubeiha, following his release from Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, was sent to Dehsalm Rural District in Nehbandan County, South Khorasan Province, to serve a two-year sentence of exile. Ahmad Alizadeh, after completing his prison sentence, is also serving his sentence of exile in Fanuj County.

Conclusion

The cases documented in this report reflect the current circumstances of at least 47 current and retired teachers across Iran, based on information available at the time of publication.

Penalties imposed on individuals in this group include death sentences, lengthy prison terms, flogging, fines, dismissal from the Ministry of Education, suspension from employment, travel bans, and exile. In addition, the legal status of some detained teachers—including the charges against them and, in some cases, their exact place of detention—remains unclear.

 

Human Rights Day: Introducing Imprisoned Civil Activists in Iran and Honoring Their Stand Against Human Rights Violations

Human Rights Day is also an opportunity to reexamine the values that form the foundation of human dignity, values such as justice, freedom, and equality, rooted in international documents and human experience
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News, Other, Publications
Abbas Lesani, Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi, Abdolaziz Azimi Ghadim, Abolfazl Khoran, Ahmadreza Haeri, Ali Kheirjou, Amirsalar Davoudi, Anisha Asadollahi, Arak prison, Arman Shadivand, Arsham Rezaei, Darreh Shahr Prison, Davoud Rezavi, Ehsan Rostami, Evin Prison, Farhad Fahandezh, Fariba Kamalabadi, Fatemeh Sepahri, Fatemeh Tedrisi, golrokh iraee, Hashem Khastar, Hassan Tozandejani, Human Rights day, Jahangir Rostami, Javad Lal Mohammadi, Karaj Central Penitentiary, Lakan Rasht Prison, Mahbubeh Rezaei, Maryam Akbari-Monfared, Maryam Jalal Hosseini, Masoud Farhikhta, Matin Yazdani, Mehran Raoof, Mohammad Abolhasani, Mohammad Davari, Mohammad Najafi, Mohammad Nourizad, Morteza Parvin, Morteza Seyyedi, Narges Mansouri, Narges Mohammadi, Nasrollah Amirlu, Negin Rezaei, Nima Mahdizadegan, Payam Vali, Peyman Farhangian, Qarchak Varamin Prison, Ramin Rostami, Reza Aghdasi, Reza Mohammadhosseini, Saeed Madani, Salar Taher Afshar, Sara Jahani, Shakila Monfared, Sharifeh Mohammadi, Shiva Shah Siah, Tahir Naqavi, Vadoud Asadi, Vakilabad Prison (Mashhad), Yasaman Hashdari, Yousef Kari, Zahra Dadras, Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb, Zohreh Dadras

HRANA News Agency –Human Rights Day is an opportunity to reflect on the condition of imprisoned civil activists in Iran, individuals who are behind bars solely for defending fundamental human rights. HRANA, by publishing a list of these brave activists, calls on the international community to amplify their voices and demand the immediate release of advocates for freedom and justice.

This day serves as a moment to reconsider the role of human rights defenders and civil activists in societies where fundamental rights are still subject to structural violations. Marked annually on the global calendar, it commemorates the principles laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on December 10, 1948, principles that recognize freedom of expression, the prohibition of torture, the right to a fair trial, and human dignity as inalienable rights of all individuals. Nevertheless, the current reality in Iran highlights a stark gap between these international standards and the domestic situation.

In Iran, many human rights defenders, civil society activists, trade unionists, environmentalists, and advocates for fundamental freedoms face the threat of arrest, harsh sentences, and long-term deprivation, even for entirely peaceful activities conducted within the framework of domestic laws. These individuals, who constitute a significant part of the country’s civil society fabric, consistently encounter security pressures, broad restrictions, and systematic rights violations in their pursuit of transparency, justice, and equality. Most have been sentenced following closed-door trials, with limited access to legal counsel and based on vague or unsubstantiated charges, a process that not only contradicts Iran’s international obligations but also deeply impacts the civic space in the country.

In this report, HRANA publishes a list of over 61 imprisoned human rights defenders and civil activists in Iran, including 8 of whom currently being held in pretrial detention. This list is the result of ongoing collection, verification, and documentation efforts, aiming to provide a clear representation of the various dimensions of human rights violations against these defenders. The publication of this list is not merely the release of names; it tells a part of the story of Iranian civil society, in which the struggle to defend human rights can come at the cost of one’s freedom, health, and personal security.

Beyond commemorating foundational principles, Human Rights Day is also an occasion to consider the role of society and international institutions in supporting these defenders. Raising public awareness, demanding accountability from authorities, and supporting activists’ efforts are essential tools for advancing human rights in Iran. Through this report.

This report, in addition to documenting and reporting on these individuals’ conditions, is a step toward transparent and continuous documentation, aimed at preserving the truth, preventing collective amnesia, and laying the groundwork for accountability. Despite pressures and restrictions, human rights defenders in Iran remain a vital part of the collective effort to achieve a freer and more just society. Human Rights Day is a moment to once again bring their names and efforts to the forefront.

List of names:

Mohammad Najafi1. Mohammad Najafi, Civil Rights Activist

Charges: Sending a voice message from Arak Prison and expressing support for the 2022 nationwide protests; spreading falsehoods; propaganda against the regime; insulting the Supreme Leader.
Conviction: At least six separate cases totaling more than 24 years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
sharifeh mohammadi2. Sharifeh Mohammadi, labor activist

Charges: Propaganda against the regime; acting against national security; baghi (armed rebellion) through membership in one of the opposition groups.
Conviction: Following an order by the head of the judiciary, her sentence was reduced by one degree and changed to 30 years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Lakan Prison in Rasht.

3. Fatemeh Sepehri, civil activist

Charges: Cooperation with hostile governments; assembly and collusion; insulting the Supreme Leader; propaganda against the regime; spreading falsehoods and disturbing public opinion.
Conviction: In five separate cases, a total of 41 years and 9 months in prison plus a monetary fine.
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

4. Golrokh Iraee, civil activist

Charges: Assembly and collusion against national security; propaganda against the regime; disrupting public order.
Conviction: Five years in prison and social deprivations.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

5. Maryam Akbari Monfared, civil activist

Charges: Propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion against national security.
Conviction: Two years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Qarchak Prison in Varamin.

6. Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb, civil activist

Charges: Propaganda against the regime; assembly and collusion to commit crimes against internal and external security.
Conviction: In two separate cases, a total of six years and eight months in prison, social deprivations, and exile.
Place of imprisonment: Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

7- Payam Vali, Baha’i civil activist

Charges: Cooperation with hostile governments; inciting or persuading people to war and killing each other; propaganda against the regime.
Conviction: In three separate cases, 11 years and 5 months in prison, social deprivations, and exile.
Place of imprisonment: Karaj Central Penitentiary.

8. Mohammad Davari, labor activist

Charges: Insulting the Supreme Leader and propaganda against the regime in favor of anti-regime groups on the Internet.
Conviction: Four years and six months in prison, social deprivations, and exile.
Place of imprisonment: Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.

9. Hashem Khastar, civil activist

Charges: Insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic; insulting sacred values; insulting the Supreme Leader; disturbing public opinion; cooperation with foreign media; participating in unlawful gatherings; and propaganda against the regime.
Conviction: In two separate cases, a total of 18 years and six months in prison, social deprivations, and exile.
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

10. Anisha Asadollahi, labor activist

Charges: Assembly and collusion against national security and propaganda against the regime.
Conviction: Five years and eight months in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

11- Mehran Raoof, labor activist

Charges: Participation in running an unlawful group and propaganda against the regime.
Conviction: Seven years and six months in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

12- Mohammad Nourizad, civil activist

Charges: Sending an audio file out of Evin Prison; disrupting public order; spreading falsehoods; insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic; insulting sacred values; insulting the Supreme Leader; disturbing public opinion; cooperation with foreign media; participating in unlawful gatherings; propaganda against the regime; and damaging the door and window of the ward chief’s office.
Conviction: In six separate cases, a total of 28 years and 9 months in prison, 148 lashes, and exile.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

13- Saeed Madani, civil activist

Charges: Forming and administering anti-regime groups.
Conviction: Four years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Damavand Prison.

14. Ahmadreza Haeri, civil activist

Charges: Assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security; propaganda activities against the regime; and spreading falsehoods.
Conviction: In two separate cases, a total of six years and three months in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

15. Reza (Gholamreza) Aghdasi, labor activist

Charges: Propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security.
Conviction: Four years and three months in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison

16. Arman Shadivand, environmental activist

Charges: Propaganda against the regime and insulting the Supreme Leader.
Conviction: Two years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Darreh Shahr Prison.

17. Narges Mansouri, civil activist

Charges: Assembly and collusion against national security, and propaganda against the regime.
Conviction: Nine years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

18. Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi, civil activist

Charges: Forming a group with the intent to act against national security, and cooperating with groups opposing the regime.
Conviction: A total of 24 years in prison and two years of exile in three separate cases.
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

19. Mohammad Abolhasani, civil activist

Charges: Disrupting public order; assembly and collusion against national security; and propaganda activities against the regime.
Conviction: In three separate cases, a total of five years and three months in prison, social deprivations, and 12 lashes. The flogging sentence has been carried out.
Place of imprisonment: Choubindar Prison in Qazvin.

20- Taher Naghavi, attorney and civil activist

Charges: Propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Six years in prison and social deprivations.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

21- Maryam Jalal Hosseini, civil activist

Charges: Inciting and persuading people to war and violence against one another with the intent to disrupt national security; propaganda against the regime; insulting the Supreme Leader; and forming a group aimed at undermining national security.
Conviction: Six years in prison and exile.
Place of imprisonment: Kachouei Prison in Karaj.

22- Shakila Monfared, civil activist

Charges: Membership in anti-regime groups; destruction of public property; disrupting public order and public peace; propaganda activities against the regime; and insulting Islamic sacred values.
Conviction: In four separate cases, a total of 15 years and five months in prison, ten lashes, social deprivations, and exile.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

23- Morteza Seydi, labor activist

Charges: Forming a group under the name of a labor union with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Two years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

24. Nasrollah Amirloo, labor activist

Charges: Forming a group under the name of a labor union with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Two years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

25. Morteza Parvin, Azerbaijani-Turk activist

Charges: Propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Six years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

 26. Foad Fathi, labor activist

Charges: Membership in anti-regime groups; acting against national security; and propaganda against the regime.
Conviction: Four years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

27. Abdolrasoul Mortazavi, civil activist

Charges: Insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic; insulting sacred values; insulting the Supreme Leader; disturbing public opinion; cooperating with foreign media; participating in unlawful gatherings; propaganda against the regime; and disrupting public order.
Conviction: In three separate cases, 30 years in prison, with the maximum cumulative sentence stated as 15 years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

28. Fariba Kamalabadi, Baha’i civil activist

Charges: Administering an organization described by authorities as a “deviant and misguided sect” with the aim of disrupting national security.
Conviction: Ten years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

29. Javad La’al-Mohammadi, civil activist

Charges: Giving interviews to foreign media and membership in anti-regime groups.
Conviction: In three separate cases, a total of 23 years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.

30- Golareh Abbasi, civil activist

Charges: Assembly and collusion against national security, and propaganda against the regime.
Conviction: 33 months in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

31. Arsham Rezaei, civil activist

Charges: Assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security; propaganda activities against the regime; inciting people to clashes and bloodshed; acquiring illicit gains; and spreading falsehoods.
Conviction: In two separate cases, a total of 15 years in prison, a monetary fine, 50 lashes, and social deprivations.
Place of imprisonment: Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

32- Vadood Asadi, Azerbaijani-Turk activist

Charges: Propaganda against the regime; membership in opposition groups; insulting the Supreme Leader; and assembly and collusion against national security.
Conviction: In two separate cases, a total of six years and three months in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

33- Salar Taher Afshar, Azerbaijani-Turk activist

Charges: Assembly and collusion against national security.
Conviction: Five years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

34. Abdolaziz Azimi-Ghadim, Azerbaijani-Turk activist

Charges: Propaganda against the regime and assembly, and collusion against national security.
Conviction: Six years in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

35. Elham Salehi, civil activist

Charges: Propaganda activities against the regime; spreading falsehoods; and appearing in public without a hijab.
Conviction: One year in prison and complementary punishments.
Place of imprisonment: Qarchak Prison in Varamin.

36. Abolfazl Khoran, teachers’ union activist

Charges: Insulting sacred values and disrupting public order and public peace.
Conviction: A total of six years in prison, 74 lashes, and a 40 million toman fine in two separate cases.
Place of imprisonment: Arak Prison.

37- Masoud Farhikhteh, teachers’ union activist

Charges: Assembly and collusion with the intent to commit crimes against the country’s internal security, and propaganda activities against the regime.
Conviction: Four years, one month, and 17 days in prison.
Place of imprisonment: Karaj Central Penitentiary.

38- Reza Mohammad-Hosseini, civil activist

Charges: Membership in anti-regime groups with the aim of disrupting national security; assembly and collusion to commit a crime against national security; and propaganda activities against the regime.
Conviction: Initially 41 years and six months, later reduced to five years in prison at the appeals stage.
Place of imprisonment: Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

39- Mahboobeh Rezaei, civil activist

Charges: Membership in anti-regime groups with the aim of disrupting national security; assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security; propaganda activities against the regime; insulting Islamic sacred values; unveiling (appearing without hijab); and displaying immoral behavior in cyberspace.
Conviction: Initially 19 years and 9 months, later reduced to five years in prison at the appeals stage.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

40. Abbas Lessani, Azerbaijani-Turk activist

Charges: Forming an unlawful group; assembly and collusion against national security; and disrupting public order.
Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not yet been tried.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

41. Farhad Fahandej, Baha’i civil activist

Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Fahandej.
Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried.
Place of imprisonment: A Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facilities in Gorgan.

42. Jahangir Rostami, teachers’ union activist

Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Rostami.
Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried.
Place of imprisonment: The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

43. Ehsan Rostami, cultural activist

Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Rostami.
Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried.
Place of imprisonment: The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

44. Hassan Tozandehjani, cultural activist

Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Tozandehjani.
Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried.
Place of imprisonment: The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

45. Ramin Rostami, cultural activist

Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Rostami.
Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried.
Place of imprisonment: The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

46. Nima Mahdizadegan, cultural activist

Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Mahdizadegan.
Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried.
Place of imprisonment: The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.

47. Mehdi Farrahi Shandiz, teachers’ union activist

Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Farrahi Shandiz.
Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.

The following list includes activists who are currently outside prison due to a suspension of their sentences, furlough, or other similar circumstances:

 

1. Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights activist

Charges: Propaganda activities against the Islamic Republic of Iran through publishing a statement (the statement against executions); staging a sit-in inside the prison office; disobeying the prison warden and officials (for refusing to end the protest sit-in); breaking windows; defamation and causing bodily harm; confrontation with an officer and disobedience; and additional propaganda activities against the regime.
Conviction: In seven separate cases, a total of 15 years and six months in prison, 74 lashes, exile, and social deprivations.
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison (currently on medical furlough with the execution of her sentence temporarily suspended).

2- Amirsalar Davoudi, attorney and human rights activist

Charges: Insulting the Supreme Leader; disturbing public opinion; and forming an anti-security group.
Conviction: 14 years in prison.
Case status: Following the Supreme Court’s Branch 39 decision to accept his request for retrial and refer the case to a parallel branch, the enforcement of his sentence has been halted.

3- Fatemeh (Mojgan) Tadrisi, civil activist

Charges: Inciting and persuading people to war and violence against one another with the intent to disrupt national security; propaganda against the regime; insulting the Supreme Leader; and forming a group aimed at undermining national security.
Conviction: Six years in prison and exile.
Place of imprisonment: Kachouei Prison in Karaj (currently on medical furlough).

4. Peyman Farhangian, labor activist

Charges: Propaganda against the regime and forming a group with the intent to disrupt public order.
Conviction: In two separate cases, a total of 11 years in prison and social deprivations.
Place of imprisonment: Azbaram Prison in Lahijan (currently on furlough).

5. Jelveh Javaheri, women’s rights activist

Charges: Propaganda against the regime.
Conviction: One year in prison.
Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail pending review.

6. Yasamin Heshdari, women’s rights activist

Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison.
Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.

7- Sara Jahani, women’s rights activist

Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison.
Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.

8- Matin Yazdani, women’s rights activist

Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison.
Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.

9- Negin Rezaei, women’s rights activist

Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison.
Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.

10- Forough Sami-Nia, women’s rights activist

Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison.
Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.

11- Shiva Shah-Siah, women’s rights activist

Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison.
Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.

12- Azadeh Chavoshian, women’s rights activist

Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison.
Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.

13- Zohreh (Fatemeh) Dadras, women’s rights activist

Charges: Forming a group with the aim of disrupting national security, and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Nine years, six months, and two days in prison.
Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.

14. Zahra Dadras, women’s rights activist

Charges: Membership in a group and assembly, and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security.
Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison.
Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.

Human Rights Day is also an opportunity to re-examine the values that form the foundation of human dignity, values such as justice, freedom, and equality, rooted in international documents and human experience. The names recorded in this report reflect only a portion of a broader reality, one in which human rights defenders and civil activists in Iran, solely for their commitment to human principles and peaceful activities, face deprivation of liberty, security pressures, and fundamental rights violations.

These individuals, despite the limitations and high costs, embody values recognized by the international community. Silence or indifference toward their condition is not only a disregard for human suffering but also a dismissal of the principles on which the international system is built. In this context, on Human Rights Day, the following are demanded from Iranian authorities and the international community:

• Immediately and unconditionally release all individuals detained for the peaceful exercise of their rights, and review all related convictions to vacate unjust charges and ensure reparations for victims.

• End unlawful restrictions on the freedom of expression, association, assembly, and civic engagement, and halt the use of vague national security charges that criminalize peaceful dissent.

• Guarantee due process and fair trial rights, including access to independent legal counsel from the moment of arrest, transparent legal proceedings, and full access to families, medical care, and communication.

• Prohibit torture and all forms of ill-treatment, end the use of coerced forced confessions, and allow independent monitoring and inspections of all detention facilities.

• Allow independent monitoring and international engagement, including granting access to the UN Fact-Finding Mission, Special Rapporteurs (Thematic and Geographic Mandates), and credible civil society organizations to assess conditions and investigate violations.

• Establish effective accountability and oversight mechanisms to prevent recurrence of abuses, ensure judicial independence, reform vague criminal provisions enabling arbitrary detention, and hold perpetrators who enable the cycle of abuse against activists, responsible.

Finally, civil society as well as citizens across the globe are called upon to continue their support, advocacy, and awareness-raising efforts, ensuring that the situation of these prisoners is not sidelined. Amplifying their voices and demanding adherence to human rights obligations are essential steps toward achieving lasting change and alleviating the suffering of those who have sacrificed their freedom in defense of human rights.

Imprisoned Teacher Hashem Khastar Receives Additional Sentence for Activism

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News, Prisoners
Ali Khamenei, Doostali Makki, Hashem Khastar, Mashhad, Nikshahr, Vakilabad prison

Hashem Khastar, a teacher and civil rights activist currently incarcerated in Vakilabad Prison, was sentenced to two years and six months by the Mashhad Revolutionary Court.

Khastar’s lawyer, Doostali Makki, received verbal notification of the court’s decision, which cited multiple charges including “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran” and “propaganda against the regime” as the basis for the extended imprisonment.

Reliable sources close to Khastar’s family disclosed that the new sentence stems from his dissemination of 30 open letters and six voice messages from within the prison walls, further exacerbating the charges against him.

The ordeal began on August 11, 2019, when Khastar and 13 fellow civil rights activists were apprehended by security forces following the publication of an open letter demanding the resignation of Ali Khamenei. The initial ruling from the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced Khastar to 16 years in prison, three years of exile in Nikshahr (located in Sistan and Baluchestan province), and a travel ban for three years. He faced a litany of charges, including “insulting both the former and current Supreme Leader of Iran,” “disturbing public opinion,” “collaboration with foreign media,” and “participation in unauthorized gatherings.”

Although the court of appeals reduced the three-year exile and travel ban, the prison sentence remained unchanged.

Political Prisoner Abdul Rasoul Mortazavi Sentenced to 2 Additional Years

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Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
Abdul Rasoul Mortazavi, Ayatollah Khamenei, Evin, Evin Prison, Hashem Khastar, Karaj, Khamenei, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, Mohammad Nourizad, Mortazavi, Rajai Shahr Prison, Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj, Tehran

Political prisoner Abdul Rasoul Mortazavi was sentenced by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran to two additional years in prison in a new case recently opened against him.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the new charges against Mortazavi include “propaganda against the regime” and “disturbing public order”.

Mortazavi, who lost his leg during the Iraq-Iran war, was transferred from Evin Prison in Tehran to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj in early April. During the move, prison authorities took his prosthetic leg and did not return it.

Under the pretext of finally giving back his leg, officials then transferred Mortazavi to solitary confinement in Rajai Shahr on April 20th, where he is currently being held. He has been denied requests for sick leave and denied the right to make phone calls while in solitary confinement. His leg has still not been returned.

In mid-August 2019, Abdol Rasoul Mortazavi and 13 civil society activists published an open letter and requested the resignation of Ayatollah Khamenei. He was subsequently sentenced to 26 years in prison, from which 11 years are enforceable.

Mohammad Nourizad, Hashem Khastar, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri and several other signatories to the statement are also currently serving prison sentences.

Masoud Kazemi and Hashem Khastar Released from Custody

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Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
freedom of expression, Hashem Khastar, imprisoned teachers, Masoud Kazemi, persecuted journalists, teacher union, Teachers' Demonstrations

Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) – Journalist Masoud Kazemi was released on bail Sunday, November 11th. He was arrested in his home November 5th, one day after tweeting critical remarks about Iranian authorities. Kazemi is the editor-in-chief of Sedaye Parsi, a monthly political magazine.

Retired teacher and current union activist Hashem Khastar, who was arrested and sequestered in Mashhad’s Ibn Sina hospital psychiatric ward for unknown reasons October 23rd, was released November 10th. He has no history of mental illness.

Hashem Khastar

During his forced hospital admission, Khastar’s family and friends were arrested for gathering outside Ibn Sina to demand his release.

On June 21, 2018, Khastar was placed in a Security Police detention center on Abbas Abad (formerly Vozara) street for participating in silent teacher protests. In 2009, he was arrested in connection to widespread protests following that year’s Iranian presidential elections and was fined by Iranian courts for two letters he wrote from Vakilabad Prison. He was released, only to be arrested again later for refusing to pay the fine.

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Hashem Khastar’s Supporters Released from Custody

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds
Ahmad Khastar, freedom of assembly, Hadi Lotfinia, Hashem Khastar, Ibn Sina Hospital, imprisoned teachers, Jahed Khastar, Mohammad Yazdi, Sadigeh Maleki Fard, Teachers' Demonstrations

Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) – Twelve individuals demonstrating their support of Hashem Khastar outside Ibn Sina Hospital in Mashhad were reportedly released a few hours after being taken into custody on Monday, November 5th, a close source said.

By arresting the demonstrators, intelligence agents were intercepting their protest of an increasingly curious hostage situation: Iranian authorities have kept Khastar cloistered in the hospital’s psychiatric ward since arresting him for unknown reasons on October 23rd.

Khastar’s detention caused a stir among his family members and fellow activists, eventually inspiring a social-media call for his supporters to gather outside Ibn Sina.

After arresting the 12 would-be protestors, a close source told HRANA, intelligence agents attempted to get their signatures on a set of legal documents, which they refused. “The intelligence officers then negotiated with Mr. Khastar’s wife,” the source continued. “Finally, promising that Mr. Khastar’s situation would be clarified within the next 24 hours, they released all 12 [of them].”

Khastar’s spouse Sadigeh Maleki Fard, his children Jahed and Ahmad Khastar, and his fellow teachers Hadi Lotfinia and Mohammad Yazdi were among those detained.

It has now been 14 days since the IRGC snatched the retired teacher and union activist from his home, sending him by ambulance into psychiatric “care” despite his clean bill of mental health. A source previously pointed HRANA to the circumstances of his arrest: “…His unlocked car and all its contents were abandoned in front of the gate to his orchard.”

A recent arrest during silent teacher protests on June 21, 2018, landed Khastar, 65, in a Security Police detention center on Abbas Abad (formerly Vozara) street. In 2009, he was arrested in connection to widespread protests following that year’s Iranian presidential elections and was fined by Iranian courts for two letters he wrote from Vakilabad Prison. He was released, then arrested again later for refusing to pay the fine.

Authorities Quash Show of Support for Sequestered Teacher Hashem Khastar

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds
freedom of assembly, Hashem Khastar, imprisoned teachers, Mashhad, teacher strikes, teacher union, Teachers' Demonstrations

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)- The wife, children, and colleagues of teachers’ union activist Hashem Khastar, 65, who was forcibly hospitalized on October 23, 2018, in Mashhad, were detained by agents of the Intelligence Ministry on Monday, November 5th.

More than 10 of Khastar’s supporters were arrested while convening in front of Ebn-Sina hospital, where Khastar remains detained in the psychiatric ward despite having no history of mental illness. They have been transferred to the Intelligence Bureau of Mashhad.

HRANA has thus far been able to confirm the identities of five arrestees: Sadigheh Maleki Fard (Khastar’s wife), Jahed Khastar and Ahmad Khastar (Khastar’s sons), and colleagues “Mr. Lotfinia” and “Mr. Yazdi.”

According to a close source, authorities were quick to head off their show of solidarity. “Security agents were already present at the hospital prior to the protesters’ arrival and had blocked the roads leading up to it. Khastar’s family were arrested as soon as they arrived. Several other individuals — teachers and colleagues of Mr. Khastar — were arrested throughout the day until 5:30 PM.”

Arrestees were reportedly booked at the police station before being handed over to Ministry of Intelligence custody.

Mashhad is the capital of Razavi Khorasan province, located in Iran’s northeast.

Teacher Activist of Sound Mind Sequestered in Psych Ward

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds
Hashem Khastar, Ibn Sina Hospital, imprisoned teachers, imprisoned union activist, Mashad, Teacher, union activists

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)- Retired teacher and current teacher’s union member Hashem Khastar, who has no history of mental illness, was arrested in front of his garden on the evening of Tuesday, October 23rd and dispatched by ambulance to Mashhad’s Ibn Sina Hospital Psychiatric Ward.

Khastar’s family were suspicious and worried, a close source said, when they came home Tuesday to find his car unlocked in front of the house. On a Wednesday phone call — his first contact with his family since the arrest — Khastar said that the Intelligence Unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had arrested and admitted him to the hospital for reasons they wouldn’t disclose.

According to the source, Khastar’s family were initially forbidden by security agents from visiting him in the ward but were more recently able to obtain that permission through coordination with authorities. Khastar — who declared hunger strike earlier today, October 25th, demanding to see his wife — explained during her visit the details of his arrest: “They brought some articles of my clothing into the ambulance, took me straight to the hospital, and put shackles on my feet.”

It is rumored that this puzzling detainment was ordered by the prosecutor’s office. As of the date of this report, no further information is available on the reasons behind Khastar’s arrest.

A recent arrest during silent teacher protests on June 21, 2018, landed Khastar, 65, in a Security Police detention center on Abbas Abad (formerly Vozara) street. In 2009, he was arrested in connection to widespread protests following that year’s Iranian presidential elections and was fined by Iranian courts for two letters he wrote from Vakilabad Prison. He was released, then arrested again later for refusing to pay the fine.

Mashhad is the capital of Razavi Khorasan province, located in Iran’s northeast.

An Academic Year of Teacher Crackdowns

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Cultural, Labor and Guilds
Abdolreza Ghanbari, Aliakbar Baghani, Alireza Hashemi, Bakhtiar Arefi, Esmaeil Abdi, Hashem Khastar, imprisoned teachers, Jafar Ebrahimi, Mahmoud Beheshti Langroodi, Mahmud Bagheri, Mohammad Davari, mohammad habibi, Mohammad Sani, Mohsen Omrani, Mokhtar Asadi, Nabiollah Bastan Farsani, Rasool Bodaghi, Ruhollah Mardani, Taher Ghaderzadeh, teacher union

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – Iranian authorities have tightened their grip on union activities in recent years, and teacher union activists are far from the exception. Indeed, if representatives of various industries have been met with blowback for organizing in defense of their colleagues’ collective rights, a retrospective of crackdowns in the education field gives reason to believe that authorities reserve particular vitriol for the nation’s educators.

So far this year, Iranian teachers and educator-activists have been arrested by security agents, brought to court under various allegations, issued lengthy prison sentences, flogged, and exiled. On this turning of Iran’s new academic year, HRANA looks back at the cases of several teachers who were persecuted by authorities this year.

Mohammad Habibi: Union Activist, Member of the Teachers’ Union Association Board of Directors in Tehran Province

On May 10, 2018, the Council for Coordination of Teaching Syndicates urged teachers, be they retired or employed, to assemble in protest across the country. In Tehran, several of those who responded to the call were beaten and arrested and five days later Habibi was transferred to Great Tehran Penitentiary; all but Habibi were released on bail.

Now, Habibi’s case—which recently inspired more than 1400 civil and union activists to write to Iran’s Supreme leader demanding that he receive medical treatment—will be reviewed in Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court, presided by Judge Seyed Ahmad Zargar. Habibi’s attorney Hossein Taj told a correspondent from the state-run news agency IRNA on Monday, September 17th that a date for the hearing has yet to be set.

Cumulatively, his charges would carry a sentence of ten years: seven and a half years for “National-Security Related Crimes”, 18 months for “Propaganda against the Regime”, and another 18 months for “Disrupting Public Order.” In addition to prison terms, he was dealt a two-year ban from political and civic activities, a two-year travel ban, and 74 lashings.

Habibi suffers from chest pain and throat and lung infections secondary to assault wounds inflicted by authorities during his arrest, yet continues to be denied medical treatment. On the one occasion his medical leave was granted, according to HRANA reports, the receiving hospital dismissed him without treatment, sending him back to Evin Prison’s Ward 4 on Monday, September 3, 2018, where he has remained since.

Habibi’s case–particularly his compromised medical condition–recently drew the support of teacher organizations abroad. In a letter addressed to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the French trade unions SFDT, SGT, FSO, Solidaires, and UNSA held the Supreme Leader accountable for Habibi’s fate, and called his imprisonment a violation of both human rights and the fundamental freedoms of syndicates. In May 2018, General Secretary of Education International (EI) David Edwards vehemently denounced Habibi’s arrest and detention, demanding his immediate release in a letter to Iranian president Hassan Rouhani.

The Teachers’ Union Association of the Province of Tehran has publicly condemned the recent persecution of union advocates, also demanding that the necessary steps be taken for Habibi’s immediate release.

Habibi was arrested at his workplace on March 3, 2018 and jailed for 44 days in Evin Prison. On April 15, 2018, he was released on a bail of approximately $20000 USD (2.5 Billion Rials) pending his trial the following August.

A letter from Habibi’s HR office confirmed he is no longer receiving his salary.

Mahmoud Beheshti Langroodi: Former Spokesman of the Teachers’ Union Association

Mahmoud Beheshti Langroodi, former spokesman of the Teachers’ Union Association, has been persistently following up on his requests for conditional release, having already served half of the five-year sentence he began September 6, 2015 in Evin. Authorities have thus far been unresponsive.

According to his wife Adineh Beigi, Langroodi started his teaching career in 1983 and remained an hourly employee for the first seven years, suspended in the recruitment process due to his allegedly oppositional intellectual leanings. In the genesis of the Teachers’ Union Association in the early 2000s, he was one of the first to join its board of directors, and was elected general secretary for two terms. He has also served on the board as an inspector and spokesman.

Langroodi had been sentenced to a total of 14 years in prison for three separate cases tried in revolutionary courts, all presided by judges known as “Salavati and Moghiseh.” In April 8, 2017, with the application of article 134, which limits defendants of multiple charges to the single heaviest among their sentences, his 14-year prison sentence was reduced to five years. Now, having served two third of his prison term, his family awaits his release.

On July 2, 2018, Langroodi went on hunger strike to protest the continued mistreatment of political prisoners, and wrote an open letter imputing the eventual consequences of his hunger strike on those who had put him behind bars, particularly the judges and prosecutor’s office.

On July 16th of this year, the Teachers’ Union Association of Tehran Province issued a statement condemning the judiciary’s disregard of the law, and criticizing the assistant prosecutor in charge of Evin Prison for negligence. The letter validated the demands of Beheshti and his fellow imprisoned teachers, urging them to cease their hunger strike.

Moved by his comrades’ letter and concerned about his declining health, Beheshti ended his hunger strike after 14 days.

Langaroudi has been summoned, interrogated, arrested, and detained several times during the past few years for his peaceful trade union activities.

Esmaeil Abdi: General Secretary of the Teachers’ Union Association

Esmail Abdi, former secretary general of the Teachers’ Union Association, is serving a 6-year sentence in Evin Prison.

A former teacher of mathematics, Abdi was arrested by security forces June 27, 2015 and sentenced February 2016 by Judge Salavati in Branch 15 of Revolutionary Court on charges of “Propaganda against the Regime” and “Assembling and Colluding against National Security.”

On May 14, 2016, after serving 11 months, he was released on bail until his trial the following October, when Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court upheld his six-year prison sentence. He has been in Ward 8 of Evin prison since being arrested in his home by security forces on November 9, 2016.

Under Article 134, Abdi’s sentence should be limited to the heaviest one of his multiple sentences, and thus should not exceed five years. It remains to be seen if the judiciary will uphold Article 134 in his case.

Over the course of Abdi’s imprisonment, several groups have spoken out against his treatment by the judicial system and pleaded for his release, including the Syndicate of United Bus Company Workers of Greater Tehran (known as ‘Sandicaye Sherkat Vahed’), the International Education Organization, the Iran Teachers’ Organization, a number of individual labor and union activists, the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, the Kurdish Teachers’ Association, and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation.

In April 24, 2018, Esmail Abdi staged a 23-day hunger strike to protest the “widespread violation of teachers’ and workers’ rights in Iran.” Amnesty International was prompted by the urgency of his hunger strike to issue their own demand for Abdi’s release on April 28, 2018.

Abdi had previously gone on hunger strike one year earlier in protest of his trial proceedings, the judiciary’s lack of autonomy, and the continued unlawful repression of teachers and labors union activists. More than a month into the strike he was transferred to a hospital and began eating again on June 7th at the requests of his family and the Teacher’s Union Association.

Abdi was the 2018 recipient of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) Solidarity Award at its annual conference in Birmingham, England.

Mohammad Sani, a Teacher of Exceptional Schools in Southern Iran

Mohammad Sani, a teacher from Bushehr, southern Iran, was sentenced to two years in prison and 74 lashings for his union activities, which landed him a conviction of “spreading misinformation and disturbing public opinion” this past August. He is currently waiting for the Enforcement Department to deliver his summons and begin his prison time.

An informed source previously told HRANA that Sani’s charge is related to the widespread teacher protests in 2015, which prompted the County Governorate of Dashtestan, Bushehr province to open a case against the protestors. “When Mr. Sani responded to the county governor’s insults to the teachers at the sit in, they opened a case on him,” the source said.

In October 2015, Iranian teachers staged peaceful protests across the country, demanding the release of their imprisoned colleagues, the fulfillment of union requests, and public consideration for the threatened livelihoods of educators.

Ruhollah Mardani: Teacher and Tehran University Student

In Ward 4 of Evin Prison, Ruhollah Mardani is currently serving a sentence of six years, plus a two-year ban on typical citizen rights including travel.

Mardani was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison on February 17, 2018 for his participation in the widespread January protests one month earlier. His initial court hearing, which convened in June of this year, convicted him on charges of “Propaganda against the regime” and “Gathering and collusion aimed at disrupting national security.”

Mardani started a hunger strike April 24th 2017 to protest his detainment and stalled court proceedings while in prison. When authorities promised to accelerate their investigation of his case on May 21st, he began eating again after twenty seven consecutive days of strike.

An informed source previously told HRANA that the Education Security Office cut off his salary in the first month of his arrest, arguing that he could not be paid during his detention. “His job security is under threat right now,” the source said.

Mardani was working as a consultant teacher in region 4 of Karaj while studying at Tehran University.

Bakhtiar Arefi: Teacher in Sardasht, northwestern Iran

Bakhtiar Arefi began serving his 18-month prison sentence on Tuesday July 24, 2018 in Mahabad Prison. He was arrested January 25, 2015 for non-union reasons including “Membership in a Reformist Organization” and released on bail after one month.

Shortly thereafter in Revolutionary Court on February 25, 2017, Arefi was sentenced to three years in prison. His sentence was upheld in Branch 40 of Supreme Court, only to be later reduced to eighteen months in Branch 13 of Urmia Appeals Court on October 30, 2017, via application of Article 18 of Islamic Penal Code. If he serves his sentence as indicated, he will be released December 23, 2019.

Iranian teachers who have faced judicial persecution along with their unionist colleagues include Mokhtar Asadi, Taher Ghaderzadeh, Rasool Bodaghi, Aliakbar Baghani, Nabiollah Bastan Farsani, Abdolreza Ghanbari, Mahmud Bagheri, Mohammad Davari, Alireza Hashemi, Jafar Ebrahimi, Hashem Khastar, Mohsen Omrani.

Tens of Teachers Arrested in front of Iranian Parliament

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Labor and Guilds
Hashem Khastar

HRANA News Agency – Tens of teachers were arrested, following the silent protest that was held in front of the parliament, and then transferred to security police detention centre, located in Abbas Abad Street.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the silent protest of teachers on July 22, was held under heavy police and security forces presence and many teachers were arrested and transferred to security police detention centre, located in Abbas Abad Street. The name of Hashem Khastar is seen among the arrestees. Continue reading “Tens of Teachers Arrested in front of Iranian Parliament”