Activist and Teacher Aziz Ghasemzadeh Still Incommunicado in Detention

After eight days, teacher and union activist Aziz Ghasemzadeh is still  incommunicado in a detention facility of the intelligence office in Rudsar County in Gilan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ghasemzadeh has so far been denied access to a lawyer, phone calls and in-person visits.

On September 26 this year, security forces arrested the educator at his parents’ home in Rudsar. During the arrest, security forces inspected the house and confiscated several of Ghasemzadeh’s personal belongings.

The arrest took place the day after working and retired teachers held protests in 36 cities across the country, which were organized by the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations.

According to HRANA, Ghasemzadeh is still being denied access to his lawyer and his temporary detention period has been extended. As of this writing, the charges against him are unknown.

 

 

Eight Street Booksellers Arrested by Security Police of NAJA

On Saturday, October 2, Tehran’s Security Police of NAJA arrested eight street booksellers for allegedly selling illegal books.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting IBNA, the police confiscated some of the books.

One of the members of the Workgroup for Protecting the Rights of Publishers and Booksellers called these detained booksellers “distributors of illegal and smuggled books”.

The member claimed that part of these confiscated books is the works of the supporters of the restoration of the monarchy in Iran as well as illegal books and unpermitted hard copies of bestselling books.

Ghasem Bahrami still Detained in Unknown Location

Sixteen days after his arrest in Mashhad, the whereabouts and situation of critical poet Ghasem Bahrami remain unknown.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Mr. Bahrami was arrested by security forces on September 15, and then transferred to an unidentified location where he has since been held incommunicado.

Bahrami is known for expressing political views through his poetry. There is still no concrete information about the reason for his arrest or the charges against him, but is said that his arrest is related to the publicizing of videos and lyrics retrieved from his poems.

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of protests took place this week in Iran, many of which were continuations of ongoing movements.  Read our recap below for details, photos, and videos from the demonstrations.

 

Saturday, September 18

Several workers of Tehran Azadi Stadium, a group of workers of Kut Abdollah Municipality in Khuzestan, a group of Bandar Imam Petrochemical workers, a group of dismissed workers Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company, Job applicants of Karname-Sabz for the 15th consecutive day in Tehran, a group of workers in Assaluyeh, a group of medical staff from Basht city, and workers of Pars Ghodrat Company in Kangan Petroleum Refinery, all called on their demands to be addressed in protest rallies. Also, teachers and educators in at least eight provinces, including Isfahan, East Azerbaijan, Fars, Alborz, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Khuzestan, Kermanshah, and Ilam held protest rallies.

 

Teachers and educators in at least eight provinces, including Isfahan, East Azerbaijan, Fars,
Alborz, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Khuzestan, Kermanshah, and Ilam:

Workers of Tehran Azadi Stadium:

Workers of Kut Abdollah Municipality in Khuzestan:

Bandar Imam Petrochemical workers:

Fired workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company:

Job applicants of Karname-Sabz:

Workers in section 14 of Assaluyeh:

Medical staff from Basht city:

Workers of Pars Ghodrat Company in Kangan Petroleum Refinery:

 

Sunday, September 19:

Job applicants of Karname-Sabz for a sixteenth day in a row in Tehran, a group of retirees of the Isfahan Steel Fund, and Khuzestan Steel Fund, shareholders of the Ghaem Commercial Complex in Tehran, and a group of employed and retired teachers in Mashhad called for their demands to be addressed in protest rallies.

 

Retirees of the Isfahan Steel’s Fund, and Khuzestan Steel Fund:

Shareholders of the Ghaem Commercial Complex in Tehran:

Teachers in Mashhad:

Job applicants of Karname-Sabz:

 

Monday, September 20

For the 17th day in a row, a group of job applicants of Karname-Sabz, teachers in Tehran, a number of workers in Dehdasht Municipality in Kohgiluyeh, a number of workers in the Fajr Jam gas refinery, and a group of fired workers in Ahvaz Municipality called for their demands to be addressed in protest rallies.

 

workers in the Fajr Jam gas refinery:

Job applicant of Karname-Sabz teachers:

 

Tuesday, September 21

A group of teachers and educators in the provinces of Kermanshah, Lorestan, Khorasan Razavi, Tehran, Kurdistan, and Khuzestan, a number of workers of Kut Abdollah Municipality, a group of Job applicant of Karname-Sabz teachers for the 18th consecutive day in Tehran, a number of Azovico shareholders in Tehran, villagers of Angelas in Hamadan, and a group of contract workers on the Tehran metro held rallies this Tuesday.

 

Teachers and educators in the provinces of Kermanshah, Lorestan, Khorasan Razavi, Tehran, Kurdistan, and Khuzestan:

Workers of Kut Abdollah Municipality:

Job applicants of Karname-Sabz teachers for the 18th day in Tehran:

Azovico shareholders in Tehran:

Villagers of Angelas in Hamadan:

 

Wednesday, September 22

A group of employees of integrated banks in the cities of Tabriz and Tehran, a group of Job applicant of Karname-Sabz teachers for the 19th consecutive day in Tehran, and a group of workers of West Karun Power Generation Company protested this Wednesday.

 

Employees of joined banks in the cities of Tabriz and Tehran:

Job applicants of Karname-Sabz teachers in Tehran:

Workers of West Karun Power Generation Company:

 

Thursday, September 23

A group of teachers and educators in the cities of Hamedan, Sari, Abadan, Zanjan, Shahroud, Mamasani, Divandere, Ardabil, Yazd, Qazvin, Kuhdasht, Kermanshah, Mashhad, Tabriz, Karaj, Arak and Qom, and a group of Job applicant of Karname-Sabz teachers for the twentieth consecutive day Tehran rallied on Thursday.

 

Teachers and educators in the cities of Hamedan, Sari, Abadan, Zanjan, Shahroud, Mamasani, Divandere, Ardabil, Yazd, Qazvin, Kuhdasht, Kermanshah, Mashhad, Tabriz, Karaj, Arak and Qom:

Job applicant of Karname-Sabz teachers:

Khaled Pirzadeh Continues Hunger Strike in Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz

Khaled Pirzadeh, a political prisoner in Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz, has been on a hunger strike for 30 days despite his poor physical condition.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists,  Pirzadeh has been on a hunger strike since Monday, August 23, protesting the officials’ refusal of his request for parole, the non-observance of the principle of separation of crimes, and the violent treatment of his family by law enforcement officers when handing over the eviction order.

On his social media page, Ali Sharifzadeh, Khaled Pirzadeh’s lawyer, confirmed his client’s continued hunger strike and expressed concern about the health condition of Mr. Pirzadeh.

Khaled Pirzadeh has gone on hunger strikes several times, the last of which was on May 31, when he expressed in a note that he would continue his strike until his legal request was granted.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of protests took place this week in Iran, many of which were continuations of ongoing movements.  Read our recap below for details, photos, and videos from the demonstrations.

Saturday, September 11

Several workers of Abadan Municipality and workers of Arvand Free Zone in Abadan, some  workers of Hoveyzeh Municipality, a group of teachers in Ahvaz, a group of Job applicants of Karname-Sabz for the eighth consecutive day in Tehran, shareholders of Amin Khuzestan Fund in Ahvaz, and a group of teachers in Shiraz, in Protest rallies called on their demands to be addressed this Sunday.

Workers of Abadan Municipality:

Workers of Hoveyzeh Municipality:

Protest of teachers in Ahvaz:

Job applicants of Karname-Sabz in Tehran:

Shareholders of Amin Khuzestan Fund:

Protest of teachers in Shiraz:

Sunday, September 12

A group of job applicants of Karname-Sabz for the ninth day in a row in Tehran, a group of retirees of the Isfahan Steel’s Fund, and a number of shareholders of Saipa Diesel Company protested on Sunday.

Job applicants of Karname-Sabz:

Retirees of the Isfahan Steel’s Fund:

Shareholders of Saipa Diesel Company:

Monday, September 13

A number of shareholders of Cryptoland Exchange in Tehran, a group of workers at the Galltut Coal Mine in Zarand in Kerman province, job applicants of Karname-Sabz for the tenth consecutive day in Tehran, and a number of workers at the Shafa Rud dam in Rezvanshahr county in protest rallies called for their demands to be addressed.

 

Shareholders of Cryptoland exchange in Tehran:

Workers of the Galltut Coal Mine in Zarand:

Job applicants of Karname-Sabz:

Tuesday, September 14

A number of employed and retired teachers and a group of teachers of the Literacy Movement in Tehran, a group of teachers in Khorramabad, a number of teachers in Ahvaz, a few lost cryptoland exchange shareholders in Tehran, a group of job applicants of Karname-Sabz for the 11th day in a row in Tehran, a group of third-party workers at the Fajr Jam refinery, and workers of Steam company in Bushehr, rallied to call on their demands to be addressed.

Workers of Steam company in Bushehr:

Protest of teachers in Tehran:

Protest of teachers in Lorestan:

Protest of teachers in Khuzestan:

Job applicants of Karname-Sabz:

Retiree teachers in 2020:

Shareholders of Cryptoland exchange in Tehran:

Workers of the Fajr Jam refinery:

Wednesday, September 15, and Thursday September 16

A group of job applicants of Karname-Sabz for the thirteenth day in a row, in Tehran, a number of medical interns at Mofid Hospital in Tehran, a group of workers at Bandar Emam Petrochemical Company, and a number of medical students at the Azad University in Mashhad rallied to call on their demands to be addressed.

Job applicants of Karname-Sabz:

Medical interns at Mofid Hospital in Tehran:

Medical students at the Azad University in Mashhad:

Workers of Bandar Emam Petrochemical:

Rapper Known for his Protest Songs Arrested in Isfahan

On Monday, September 13, Toomaj Salehi, a rapper known for his protest songs, was arrested by security forces at his home in Isfahan.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, 12 security forces came to the artist’s house in 4 cars, searched his house during his arrest, and confiscated a number of his belongings.

Mr. Salehi had previously warned on his Twitter account that he might be arrested.

As of this writing, no information is available on the charges against him or where he is being held.

Mostafa Nili, Arash Kaykhosravi and Mehdi Mahmoudian Transferred to General Ward of Evin Prison on 31st Day of Detention

On Wednesday, September 15, lawyers Mostafa Nili, Arash Kaykhosravi, and Mehdi Mahmoudian were transferred from solitary confinement in Ward 241 of Evin Prison to the general ward of the prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, these citizens announced their transfer to the public ward of Evin Prison during a telephone call with their families.

Despite the issuance of indictment and designation of a court branch, the detainees were still kept in solitary confinement in Ward 241 of Evin Prison under the supervision of the intelligence service section of the judiciary for an entire month. Mostafa Nili has only been allowed to make phone calls twice since his arrest.

On August 14, several lawyers and civil activists, including Mostafa Nili, Arash Kaykhosravi, Mehdi Mahmoudian, Mohammad Reza Faghihi, Mohammad Hadi Erfanian Kaseb, Maryam Afrafraz, and Leila Heydari, were arrested during a meeting at the office of the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights in Tehran.

Leila Heydari and Mohammad Hadi Erfanian Kaseb were released on bail a day after their arrest, and Mohammad Reza Faghihi and Maryam Afrafaraz were released on bail on August 29, but Nili, Kaykhrosravi, and Mahmoudian had remained in detention.

Apart from being allowed to contact their families on the first day of their detention, these citizens have been largely denied the right to make telephone calls.

Revolutionary Court Sentences Farzaneh Zilabi, Defense Lawyer for the Haft Tappeh Workers’ Case, to One Year in Prison

Farzaneh Zilabi, the defense lawyer for the Haft Tappeh workers’ case, was sentenced by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court to one year in prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting EMTEDAD, in addition to the prison sentence, Zilabi has received a two year ban from leaving the country.

Nasser Zarafshan, Farzaneh Zilabi’s lawyer, commented on the sentence.

“Regarding the charges against my client,” Zarafshan said, “‘gathering and collusion’, ‘spreading lies’, and ‘insulting the leadership’ were acquitted by the Revolutionary Court but she is sentenced to one-year imprisonment and two years ban on leaving the country on the charge of ‘propaganda against the regime’. This is the verdict issued against my client in the primary court.”

Zarafshan added, “The previous order on Ms. Zilabi’s six-month ban from practicing law has apparently been dropped.”

On May 16 of this year, after Farzaneh Zilabi’s interrogation session in the Ahvaz court, Nasser Zarafshan stated that “Besides issuing a bail, the case investigator has issued a six-month ban from practicing law for Ms. Zilabi” and had mentioned that his client, Ms. Zilabi, is “paying for the defending the Haft Tappeh workers”.

Ministry of Intelligence Withholds Details on Death of Yasser Mangouri in Detention Center

On Thursday, September 9, following a call attributed to the Ministry of Intelligence, the family of Yasser Mangouri was informed of his death while he was being held in a detention center.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Mangouri had been arrested by security forces on July 17.

No information has been provided to the family about the details of the death or its date.

Mr. Mangouri is said to had been previously interrogated on charges of “collaborating with an opposition party”.

Yaser Mangouri, a native of Piranshahr in West Azerbaijan Province, was a married father of three. He was also a welding worker.

The security agency has so far refused to return the body of Mr. Mangouri to his family.