Hasan Bagherinia, suspended professor at Hakim Sabzevari University, arrested

Human rights media reported on Sunday, June 3, the arrest of Hasan Bagherinia, a suspended professor at Hakim Sabzevari University. According to these reports, Mr. Bagherinia was arrested after visiting Branch 216 of the Mashhad Prosecutor's Office and was transferred to an unknown location. This academic figure had posted on social media a few hours before his visit to the prosecutor's office, predicting that he would be arrested on charges of 'insulting the leadership.' In this brief message, he stated that based on 'conversations' he had with security officials, he became aware of this accusation and noted that while he was the 'complainant,' the roles of the complainant and the accused had been reversed. Hasan Bagherinia, a faculty member in the field of educational sciences and psychology at Hakim Sabzevari University, was suspended in winter 2022 after supporting protesting students and the nationwide protests known as 'Women, Life, Freedom,' joining dozens of other professors who faced similar fates. At that time, about 500 students from Hakim Sabzevari University issued a statement deeming Mr. Bagherinia's suspension 'illegal' and demanded his return to the university. In his statement, Hasan Bagherinia warned Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, that 'he cannot maintain the government through arrests and crackdowns,' concluding his remarks with the slogans 'Long live Iran' and 'Women, Life, Freedom.' The HRANA news agency reported that after the arrest of this citizen, security agents visited his personal residence and confiscated several digital devices belonging to Mr. Bagherinia and his family, including mobile phones.