Arrest of Three More Environmental Activists in Iran

While there is no new information regarding the fate of Kavous Seyed-Emami's case, reports from Iran indicate the arrest of three more environmental activists. Meanwhile, UN special rapporteurs have described this 'new trend' as very 'concerning.' The news website Tabnak reported on Friday, March 4, that 'three wildlife activists in one of the cities of Hormozgan province' have been arrested. These three individuals are among the seven environmental activists who are still in detention and were arrested simultaneously with Kavous Seyed-Emami. Kavous Seyed-Emami, an Iranian-Canadian citizen, university professor, and environmental activist, died in prison two weeks after his arrest. The suicide of Mr. Seyed-Emami in prison is a hypothesis that the IRGC intelligence raised from the beginning, and since then, officials of the Islamic Republic and state media have insisted that his death was due to 'suicide,' while international bodies are calling for clarification of the details of this case. At the same time, the Tehran prosecutor and the judiciary spokesperson have accused Kavous Seyed-Emami and the detained environmental activists of 'espionage.' Now, in addition to these individuals, the Tabnak website has reported that three others, who are 'members of the Lavardin Nature Protectors Institute,' have been arrested by 'a security agency' in Bandar Lengeh. There is still no information regarding the charges against these individuals. In response to this trend, three UN special rapporteurs on environmental issues and human rights issued a statement on Friday calling for the 'immediate' release of the detained environmental activists and the removal of charges against them. These three rapporteurs criticized the 'new and concerning trend' of pressure on environmental activists in Iran. According to the statement published on the official website of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the rapporteurs described the arrest of environmental activists as 'concerning' and 'incomprehensible' and the death of Kavous Seyed-Emami as 'very distressing.' John Knox, David Kaye, and Michel Forst also called for 'immediate, independent, and effective investigations' into the circumstances and causes of Mr. Seyed-Emami's death. The statement also mentions that the aforementioned rapporteurs have contacted the Iranian government regarding this matter without providing details. Previously, the UN environment chief had also asked the Iranian government to respect the activities of environmental advocates, a request that elicited a sharp response from the Iranian judiciary. The Iranian judiciary objected to the UN environment chief's statement regarding the death of Kavous Seyed-Emami and, without explaining the details of the environmental activist's death, accused the U.S. of using 'cover' of environmental issues for 'military incursions and terrorist actions' against Iran.