12 Arrested in Gilan Over Three Weeks; Daadban: Some of Them Have Been 'Severely Tortured'

A human rights group reported the arrest of at least 12 individuals in the Gilan province over the past three weeks, stating that some of them have been 'severely tortured.' The Daadban legal advisory group announced on Sunday, September 4, on the social media platform X that seven of the recent detainees in Gilan were arrested on charges of 'having connections with one of the opposition groups in the cities of Talesh and Astara.' According to the report, five of these citizens have been transferred to the Lakan prison in Rasht, specifically to a section known as 'Misaq,' while two others have been moved to solitary confinement. The Daadban legal advisory group also reported, citing 'reliable sources,' that these individuals were subjected to 'severe beatings' during their arrest, and two of them have been 'severely tortured,' with one of them in critical condition. Additionally, five other individuals have been arrested in the past three weeks in connection with their activities on social media. The report did not provide further details about the identity of the detainees. The wave of arrests of civil activists in Gilan province has increased in recent months. Recently, UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor expressed concern over reports of violent arrests, torture, and threats from security agents of the Islamic Republic regarding the rape and killing of several detained civil activists in Gilan during interrogations, calling for an end to the repression of women human rights activists. Furthermore, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller condemned the sentences issued by the Islamic Republic's judiciary for civil activists in Gilan as 'unjust' and 'an attempt to intimidate and silence activists' in Iran. The hunger strike of political prisoners' women in Lakan prison in Rasht followed the transfer of two of them to the Intelligence Department. The prison sentences of eight teachers' union activists in Gilan have been converted to fines; two teachers were acquitted in the appeals court. Hengaw reported the sentencing of five women activists in Gilan to a total of over 20 years in prison. A statement from five civil and professional organizations against executions called for the cancellation of inhumane sentences against Sharifeh Mohammadi and Pakhshan Azizi. At least 92 Iranian citizens have been arrested by the Islamic Republic in one month; 22 of them are women.