Letter with over 300 signatures to the Judiciary: Free Saman Pashaei

More than 300 academics, civil and political activists have called for the release of Saman Pashaei, a former world youth wrestling champion, university professor, and sports coach, in a letter to the Prosecutor's Office of the Islamic Republic's Judiciary. Sardar Pashaei, a former world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling and former national team coach who is currently outside Iran, announced on July 2nd via the social media platform 'X' that 'intelligence agents' had arrested his younger brother, Saman Pashaei, from Saqqez. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network published part of the open letter from academic, political, and civil society figures to the Prosecutor's Office, referring to Saman Pashaei as a 'scientific, social, concerned, and compassionate' individual who preferred to live in his homeland despite having opportunities in Western countries. The signatories emphasized that Saman Pashaei's detention is beneath his dignity and urged officials to take action to preserve the respect of this 'social, popular, and scientific asset' and release him. Saman Pashaei holds a PhD in physiology and is also a member of the American National Academy of Sports Medicine. In this context, the Hrana news agency reported that Mr. Pashaei has been held 'indefinitely' in the Sanandaj intelligence detention center for 60 days, and judicial authorities have extended his detention order for another month. The arrest of this athlete and university professor comes on the eve of the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death in custody of the morality police and the protests of 2022, coinciding with a wave of arrests in Saqqez and other cities in Kurdistan. In recent weeks, pressures on the families of human rights activists and the families of victims of protests have intensified, with several of them being arrested. Reports have also emerged about pressures on political prisoners and civil and labor activists across various regions of Iran. Relatives of some of the victims from last year's protests have told Voice of America that intelligence agencies have warned the families of the deceased not to appear in public places on the anniversary of Mahsa Amini. At the same time, Mahsa Amini's parents, in a joint statement published on her father's Instagram page, announced a 'traditional and religious ceremony' for Mahsa and invited 'everyone' to 'refrain from any violent actions and reactions.' Previously, Amjad Amini, Mahsa Amini's father, told Voice of America that, referring to the 'concerns' of the Islamic Republic's officials, he said they 'ask us not to call for anything under any circumstances and not to invite people to the ceremony.' The pressure on the families of victims continues; a member of the family of Reza Moazemi-Goodarzi has been arrested. There was an attack by plainclothes agents on two civil activists in the streets on the eve of the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death. Exclusive: Rada Fatehi, sister of one of the victims of the protests, stated that the arrests are a 'sign of the Islamic Republic's impotence.'