Azerbaijani Teacher Mohammad Farajian Arrested

HRANA – On Wednesday, May 19, 2010, Mohammad Farajian, an Azerbaijani activist and elementary school teacher in Pars Abad, Moghan, was arrested after being summoned by the Pars Abad (Moghan) Intelligence Office.

According to those close to Farajian, on Wednesday, Pars Abad (Moghan)’s Department of Education and Training asked this teacher to visit the city’s Intelligence Office in order to answer questions from the news arm of the Intelligence Office. Security agents arrested Mr. Farajian upon his arrival at the Intelligence Office.

According to Savalan Sassy, on Tuesday May 18, 2010, agents of the Intelligence Ministry summoned this Azerbaijani teacher to the Intelligence Office in Moghan over the telephone, but Mr. Farajian denounced the summons as illegal and refused to appear at the Intelligence Office.

The arrest of this Azerbaijan’s teacher comes after the arrests of two Azerbaijani journalists, Ramin Jabbari and Mostafa Jamshidi as well as Hafez Sardarpoor, Nader Azizi, Mahnaz Karimi and Mehdi Zeynali over the past few days. From these detainees, Mostafa Jamshidi and Mahnaz Karimi were released after one day of detention and the rest have been transferred to the Intelligence Office in Ardebil.

HRW Calls For Release Of Jailed Iranian Teachers

HRANA News Agency – Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged Iranian authorities to immediately free seven jailed teachers and to end the harassment of dozens of others.

(Beirut) – Iranian authorities should immediately free seven teachers who are behind bars solely for speaking out against the government. Iran should also end harassment of dozens of others teachers who are facing charges or who have already served time in prison on national-security-related charges. Human Rights Watch issued the call on World Teachers Day as part of a joint campaign initiated by Iranian and other international rights groups to highlight the plight of teachers who criticize the government.

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