Worker’s Rights Activist Eghbal Sha’abani Receives 30-Month Suspended Sentence

Eghbal Sha’abani, a worker’s rights activist and inspector at the Sanandaj Bakers Syndicate, has been sentenced to 30 months of suspended imprisonment by the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court, according to a statement by the Independent Iranian Workers Union (IIWU).

The verdict was issued on the grounds of his alleged “membership in a political oppositional party.”

Sha’abani’s legal troubles began on May 19, 2023, when he was arrested by security forces in Sanandaj and subsequently detained at the Ministry of Intelligence detention facility. After nearly two weeks in custody, he was granted release on May 31, 2023, upon posting a half-billion-toman bail.

This is not the first time Sha’abani has faced such repercussions for his activism, as he has a history of prior arrests and convictions related to his dedication to worker’s rights causes.

Anisha Asadollahi and Keyvan Mohtadi in Detention for 22 Days

Workers’ rights activist Anisha Asadollahi is still in detention 22 days after she was arrested. Another workers’ rights activist Keyvan Mohtadi is also detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison. On Monday, May 9, 2022, security forces arrested both at their house.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Anisha Asadollahi and Keyvan Mohtadi have been held in detention for the past 22 days while the charges against them are still unknown.

Last Saturday, Anisha’s Brother, Ali Asadollahi wrote on social media that after three weeks, Anisha was allowed to call her mother and told her that the reasons for the arrest and the charges are still not clear. 

On Monday, May 9, 2022, Anisha Asadollahi and Keyvan Mohtadi were arrested by security forces in their house. Their lawyer, Amir Raisian has been denied so far any access to their case and he was only told that they have been arrested on national security charges.

Anisha Asadollahi and Keyvan Mohtadi had been arrested and convicted before for their civil activities. On May 1, 2019, with many other workers and worker’s rights activists, Anisha Asadollahi was arrested at a gathering for the celebration of international workers’ Day. Subsequently, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced her to one-year imprisonment (of which six months were suspended) and 74 lashes on the charge of “disturbing the public order”. She was jailed in Evin prison for sentencing on January 4, 2020, and was freed on January 21 of that year.

Anisha Asadollahi is an electrical engineer and a graduate of K. N. Toosi University of Technology. She works as an English teacher.