Dismissal and Suspension of Several Teachers and Educational Activists in Iran

At least five teachers and educational activists in the provinces of Gilan, Alborz, East Azerbaijan, and North Khorasan have faced dismissal, summons, or suspension from service in recent weeks. According to the Telegram channel of the 'Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions', Rouhollah Mardani, a teachers' union activist in Karaj, and Shahbanoo Asadi, a teacher from Gilan province, have received their dismissal orders due to posting content on social media. Rouhollah Mardani has been dismissed based on a ruling by the Disciplinary Committee in Alborz province, which was communicated to him on May 17. He has been condemned to dismissal and retirement due to supporting protesters and facing accusations such as 'participating in illegal sit-ins, strikes, and demonstrations' and 'sending provocative texts like #TogetherForIran and Don't Tell Mom Anything'. Shahbanoo Asadi, a teacher from Gilan province, who was previously sentenced to three months suspension for posting content on social media, has been deprived of her teaching position by a selection committee ruling. Her accusation was 'publishing subversive and provocative content in support of rioters against the Islamic Republic on social media'. Iranian officials refer to protesters against the ruling policies with terms like 'rioters' and 'disturbers'. Additionally, two educational activists, Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroudi and Mahmoud Safdari, have also been summoned to judicial and administrative authorities. Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroudi, a former political prisoner and board member of the Tehran Teachers' Trade Association, announced on his Instagram page that he has been summoned on charges of 'propaganda against the regime'. He wrote: 'Once again, a new notification for a new case with the charge of propaganda against the Islamic Republic!!! The word Iran has been intentionally or accidentally omitted.' He further emphasized that 'I will definitely serve'. Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroudi has been summoned, arrested, and imprisoned multiple times over the past twenty years on various charges such as 'conspiracy and collusion', 'insulting the leadership', and 'spreading falsehoods and propaganda against the regime'. Mahmoud Safdari, a teacher in Bojnourd, has also been summoned. According to the Telegram channel of the 'Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions', the education department in Gilan province has been leading in 'case-making' against teachers and educational activists over the past two years, with the highest administrative condemnations against teachers issued in this province. The primary committee for examining violations in North Khorasan province has also summoned Mahmoud Safdari in a new case. This new case was formed following this activist's protests against the Islamic Republic's missile attack on Israel and the living conditions of the Iranian people on the social media platform 'X'. The education department of Jolfa county in East Azerbaijan province has also condemned Ali Hajji, a teacher with a master's degree and 26 years of experience, to 'six months of suspension from service' for supporting protesters of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement on social media. Reza Morad Sahraei, the Minister of Education, criticized what he called 'disorder' and 'neglect' in the virtual space last July and stated that 'we need to think about teachers' presence in the virtual space'. The Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions emphasized that coercive measures and the policy of 'victory through fear' have never been able to divert activists from pursuing their legal demands. The teachers' union stated that the era of Ebrahim Raisi has been one of the 'darkest' periods in the education sector. The deputy minister threatened 'teacher bloggers': boys and girls are reading books like 'Unfiltered with Hijab' and 'One and Doubt'. The Revolutionary Court of Najafabad sentenced a retired teacher to 11 years in prison. Teachers held protest gatherings in at least 10 cities in Iran despite threats and government promises.