Judiciary Claims: Detainees of February 25 Were 'Seeking to Disrupt Public Order'

The spokesperson for the judiciary accused those arrested during the February 25 gathering of 'disrupting public order' and stated that 'investigations' are ongoing for some of these individuals. According to ILNA news agency, Asghar Jahangir, in response to a question about what was described as 'unrest near Tehran University,' stated: 'Some individuals had called for this, and necessary action was taken against those seeking to disrupt public order and disturb the security of society, which were a small number.' He added: 'In this regard, several were arrested, and necessary investigations are being conducted.' This gathering was held in protest against the continued house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi. Reports indicated that despite a heavy security atmosphere, a number of citizens gathered in front of Tehran University, leading to the arrest of some of them. According to reports received by Voice of America, several political activists, including Rahim Qamishi, Mohammad Baqer Bakhtiar, and Mohsen Qashqai Zadeh, were arrested by organizations affiliated with the IRGC, and some of them are still in custody. In this context, Alireza Bakhtiar, the son of Mr. Bakhtiar, recently wrote on the social media platform 'X' quoting an eyewitness in the prosecutor's office that his father was 'offered release on bail,' which he deemed illegal and refused to accept. This event occurs while the Iranian government has consistently responded to any civil protest with security measures and suppresses peaceful activities. For instance, during nationwide teachers' gatherings in Iran, security forces clashed with protesters, arresting some of them. These protests faced confrontations from law enforcement and security forces in several cities, with teachers reacting by chanting slogans against the suppressive agents. These actions indicate the continuation of the Iranian government's repressive approach in dealing with civil and peaceful protests, which has faced widespread domestic and international reactions. Several of those detained during the February 25 gathering in Tehran remain imprisoned. The gathering of Tehran University students protested against 'suppression' instead of ensuring security, with the deployment of government forces in central Tehran and 'widespread' arrests of protesters. A new account from Rahnavard regarding the day the 'house arrest' began: they were blindfolded and gagged. The daughter of Mir Hossein Mousavi states that he has been discharged from the hospital. The house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard has reached 5000 days.