Four Protesters Arrested for 'Vandalizing and Destroying Campaign Banners' in Bushehr Province

The police chief of Bushehr Province announced the re-arrest of four individuals previously detained during the nationwide protests for 'Women, Life, Freedom.' On Thursday, July 21, Haidar Sousani, without disclosing the identities of the detainees, accused them of 'destroying and setting fire to several campaign banners' related to the government voting for the successor to Raisi and 'sloganeering.' This police official claimed, without providing any evidence, that these four individuals, one of whom is identified as an Afghan citizen, intended to 'set fire to one of the police stations' in northern Bushehr Province. The police chief accused one of the detainees of promising the other three 'payments' in exchange for actions such as 'destroying and setting fire to election banners.' Iranian officials have consistently accused protesters of receiving money for their dissenting activities without providing evidence. Haidar Sousani stated that these four individuals were among those detained during the nationwide protests for 'Women, Life, Freedom' in 2022. Citizens have been arrested for similar charges during the voting process to determine the successor to Ibrahim Raisi in other cities as well. For instance, the governor of Astara, Mohammad Reza Shahbazadeh, announced on July 7 that individuals had been arrested for 'setting fire to a banner of Ibrahim Raisi.' He did not provide details on the number or identities of these individuals. According to Iranian judicial officials, during the voting process to determine Ibrahim Raisi's successor, over 1,200 virtual activists were summoned, and at least 58 citizens were arrested. The early holding of this round of elections for the presidency in the Islamic Republic was accompanied by significant sensitivities, including widespread boycotts by opponents and a lack of broad public participation in the voting. Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb, a jailed human rights activist, was sentenced to imprisonment and exile. Two human rights organizations called for international intervention against the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi. The government is exerting pressure on lawyers; Mehdi Shakibafar was sentenced to imprisonment for 'propaganda against the regime and insult' to Khamenei. Mohammad Nourizad from prison: People should smash the ballot boxes over the 'devil and monster' of the Islamic Republic.