Iran Human Rights Warns of the Situation of Detainees/Urgent International Action Crucial

Iran Human Rights is unable to provide the exact number of arrests, but based on reports from different cities, it is estimated that several thousand people have been arrested in Iran. Of the available information, at least 38 journalists, 170 students, 16 lawyers and more than 580 civil activists, including workers and teachers unions, have been arrested. Islamic Republic officials have provided sporadic statistics. For example, a member of parliament announced that 3000 people were arrested in Tehran and police official in Gilan stated that 880 people had been arrested on October 16.

Many human rights defenders and journalists were arrested off the streets. It is not clear what charges they have been arrested for and in a lot of cases, where they are being held. There are reports of arbitrary arrests without warrants, with security forces even disguised to gain access to properties. Following arrest, fundamental rights including access to a lawyer, medical treatment, being informed of charges, telephone access and due process are systematically breached.  

Majid Tavakoli was arrested at his home on September 22 and taken to Evin Prison. He is held in Ward 241 under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Intelligence. In a statement, the Norwegian Student Peace Prize Committee called for the immediate and unconditional release of Majid Tavakoli. In 2013, this committee awarded the Student Peace Award to Majid Tavakoli.

On the same day, security forces raided the home of Hossein Ronaghi but were unable to arrest him. On September 24, Hossein went to the Evin court with his lawyer to surrender and was violently arrested. According to his family, his legs were broken and he is being held in Evin Prison without medical care.

Golrokh Ebrahimi-Irayi was arrested at her home on September 26. Her house was searched in the raid and her personal items confiscated. No information is available about her whereabouts.

Saeed Shirzad was arrested with his brother Ali when their home in Tehran was raided by security forces on October 2. After searching the house, personal items including electronic devices belonging to all family members were confiscated. According to his sister, Ali has been incommunicado since arrest.

Amir Emad Mimirani who used the pseudonym “Jadi” on Twitter for his activism in information technology was arrested on October 5. His family have been cited as saying security forces entered the property disguised as workers from the gas company. No information is available about his whereabouts.

Arash Sadeghi who was released from prison after five and a half years last May, was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison on October 12 and transferred to Evin Prison. Arash suffers from chondrosarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer. UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, expressed concern about Arash Sadeghi’s health and fate.

Some of the at least 38 journalists arrested are: Mandana Sadeghi, Maryam Mazrouei, Niloufar Hamedi, Yalda Moiri, Elaheh Mohammadi, Alireza Khoshbakht, Marzieh Talaei, Iman Behpansad, Fatemeh Rajabi, Mojtabi Rahimi, Massoud Kordpour, Ruhollah Nokhi, Vida Rabani, Ali Khatibzadeh, Alireza Jabari Darestani, Mehrnoosh Tafian, Samira Alinejad, Ali Salem, Aria Jafari, Farshid Ghorbanpour, Farkhondeh Ashouri, Farzaneh YahyaAbadi and Siavash Soleimani.

Since the nationwide protests began, more than 170 students have been arrested by security officers in different cities of Iran. Due to the widespread disruption in the Internet and extra securitisation, the exact number of student arrests and those released are still unknown

Furthermore, Iran Human Rights has established the identities of 576 civil activists, teachers union activists, workers rights activists and minority rights activists who have been arrested since the protests began. Some of the detained teachers are: Eskandar Lotfi, Kiumars Vaezi, Ali Hossein Shamayoli, Hamid Rahmati and Hamed Saeedi.  

At least 16 lawyers have also been arrested with some released on bail. They are: Sina Yousefi, Amir Mehdipour, Ghasem Badi Bonab, Mohammadreza Faghihi, Babak Paknia, Milad Panahipour, Rosa Etemad Ansari, Golaleh Vatandoust, Mahsa Gholamalizadeh, Amir Dehghani, Firouzeh Khourdechi, Parisa Ghassemi, Saeed Sheikh, Saeed Jalalian, Hossein Rezaei  and Rouhollah Mohammad Rezaei.