Atakeh Rajabi and Farzad Safi-Khanpour, two teachers' rights activists, temporarily released

Two teachers' rights activists who were arrested following protests against the serial poisoning of students and chemical attacks on schools have been temporarily released on bail. Atakeh Rajabi, who was arrested on the morning of May 8 in front of the Education Department in Mashhad while on her way to participate in a teachers' protest, was released on Sunday, May 13, after five days in detention on a bail of 1.5 billion tomans. Ms. Rajabi had refrained from attending her school on October 24 of last year in protest against the 'murder and detention of children' and was 'dismissed' from the Education Department following a 'strike.' The Coordinating Council of Teachers' Trade Unions expressed hope that 'by ending the process of filing cases and releasing imprisoned teachers, a rational and legal process in the country's decision-making will be established.' Additionally, Farzad Safi-Khanpour, another teachers' rights activist, was released from Sanandaj prison on Sunday after posting bail of 500 million tomans. He was also arrested on May 8 during a teachers' gathering in Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan province, following being beaten by security forces. Extensive protests by educators on May 8 took place in 24 cities across Iran in response to the serial poisoning of students and the inaction of the Islamic Republic authorities regarding chemical attacks with unknown gases on schools, as well as emphasizing teachers' rights, which led to the detention of several trade union activists.