Continued Summoning and Arrest of Civil Activists in Iran

The Free Workers Union of Iran reported the ongoing summoning and arrest of civil activists, stating that Amir Hossein Moradi, a former political prisoner and civil activist, was arrested by security forces at his father's home and transferred to an unknown location. According to the union's news channel, Moradi's mobile phone and social media accounts are now in the possession of security forces. Khadijeh Mahdipour, a former political prisoner, was also summoned to the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office of Ilam. Based on the summons issued to Ms. Mahdipour, she is required to appear on May 17 to defend against charges of 'spreading falsehoods' in Branch 103 of the Ilam Public and Revolutionary Court. In another report, according to the Coordination Council of Teachers' Trade Unions, Kokab Badaghi-Pgah, a physical education teacher at a high school in the city of Izeh, Khuzestan province, has been summoned to the Revolutionary Court in Ahvaz. The report states that Badaghi-Pgah is accused of 'propaganda against the regime, conspiracy to disrupt internal security, and membership in groups aimed at undermining the country's security.' In recent years, many teachers in Iran have been summoned, arrested, or imprisoned for pursuing their professional demands, and currently, several members of teachers' trade unions are in prison. The summoning and arrest of civil activists and some former prisoners have intensified in recent days. Summons have been issued to the organizers of the Shiraz marathon following the participation of women without mandatory hijab in the competition. Some detained teachers and labor activists have been released on heavy bail. Legal cases have been opened against Baran Kowsari and Shaghayegh Dehghan for opposing mandatory hijab. There has been a crackdown on opponents of mandatory hijab, including the closure of the 'Diplomat Center' complex; the organizers of the Shiraz marathon have been summoned, and the responsible managers of the newspapers 'Etemad' and 'Jahan San'at' have also been summoned to the prosecutor's office.