Islamic Republic continues crack down on activists

International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran says that in the weeks leading to the anniversary of the controversial 2009 presidential elections in Iran, tens of political media, student and civil society activists were arrested or summoned and interrogated by Ministry of Intelligence.

According to this report, families of the protesters who were killed in last year’s protests were “threatened and intimidated” by Intelligence officials to impede them from holding any commemoration services for their loved ones.

A number of political figures have also informed the Campaign that they were contacted by the Intelligence Ministry and advised against leaving their homes on 11 and 12 of June.

Pro-government forces in plain clothes have reportedly stood guard outside the home of political activists to monitor their activities.

On June 12, protesters staged some gatherings in Tehran and other major cities and Islamic Republic officials announced that 91 people were arrested in connection with these gatherings.

Kaleme website, MirHosein Mousavi’s news outlet, puts the figure of June12 detainees around 400 and other sources have even said that over 900 people were arrested on that day.

A female protester who was detained on June 12 has told International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that over 300 women were held at one of the Basij detention centres on this day close to Azadi Square. She added that a number of these detainees were released at the late hours of the night.

An eyewitness also reports that 40 security vans were used to transport detainees on June 12 and adds: “That night over 500 people were transferred to prevention police headquarters.”

Morteza Tamaddon, Tehran governor claims some members of the dissident group People’s Mojahedin were amongst the June 12 detainees.

Prior to this, a number of detainees especially people arrested in December during Ashura Day protests were accused of cooperation with the People’s Mohajedin and charged with enmity against God for which the court has issued death sentences.

Nargess Mohammadi, chief deputy of Human Rights Defenders Centre; Abdolreza Tajik, journalist; Mohammadreza Jalaipour, reformist activist; Reza Shahabi, labour activist; Davoud Roshani, member of reformist group Islamic Iran Participation Front; as well as student activists Slaman Sima, Kourosh Jannati, Behzad Heydari, Abtin Pegah, Babk Qiasi and Reza and Amin Farid Yahyayi along with National Front member, Youness Rostami are some of the people detained by Islamic Republic authorities in the past few days.