Over a Thousand Political and Civil Activists Demand Immediate Release of Detainees from February 25 Gathering

More than a thousand political and social activists have signed a statement demanding the immediate release of those detained during the February 25 gathering in Tehran. The statement notes the arrest of around 500 individuals at the gathering in front of Tehran University on February 25 of this year, highlighting that Rahim Qamishi, Mohammad Baqer Bakhtiar, and Mohsen Qashqai have not yet been released. According to news sources, these three remain imprisoned in Evin Prison, along with several others whose names have not yet been disclosed. On February 25, a group of supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi, leaders of the protests against the results of the 2009 presidential election, held a gathering in front of Tehran University to protest their continued house arrest and the situation of political prisoners. This gathering was met with intervention from the Islamic Republic's security forces and widespread arrests of protesters. Following this, Asghar Jahangir, spokesperson for the Islamic Republic's judiciary, accused the detainees of 'disturbing public order' and stated that 'investigations' into some of these individuals are ongoing. The statement signed by over a thousand political and civil activists criticizes the house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi, describing it as 'contrary to all national, international, and human rights laws, as well as all human and religious principles,' and asserts that during the February 25 protest, the government 'illegally chose the path of arrest and repression.' The signatories of the statement demanded that 'the government and all its branches fulfill their responsibilities regarding the people's demands for lifting the house arrest and freeing political prisoners' and 'cease insisting on illegal behaviors and bullying against the people.' They expressed 'support for the right to civil protest' and called for the release of Rahim Qamishi, Mohammad Baqer Bakhtiar, Mohsen Qashqai, and other detainees whose information is still unavailable, emphasizing the need to 'end the fabricated cases' and reiterating the demand for the 'lifting of house arrest' of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi, leaders of the Green Movement. Masoumeh Haqbin (wife) along with Fatemeh Mohammad and Atefeh Qamishi (daughters of Rahim Qamishi), and Hanieh and Alireza Bakhtiar (children of Mohammad Baqer Bakhtiar), Nasser Daneshfar, Hassan Asadi Zayd Abadi, Morteza Alviri, Shahbanu Amani, Mojgan Ilanlou, Abotaleb Adinehvand, Mohammad Karim Asayesh, Hamid Asefi, Habibollah Peyman, are among the signatories of the letter. Other activists who signed the letter include Mojtaba Torkashvand, Abbas Tavakkol, Jalal Jalali Zadeh, Mahmoud Dardakshan, Khosrow Delir Sani, Zahra Rabani Amelshi, Alireza Rajaei, Abolfazl Rahimi Shad, Saeed Razavi Faqih, Hossein Rafiei, Eisa Saharkhiz, Parvaneh Salhashouri, Davood Soleimani, Tahereh Taleghani, Feyzollah Arab Sarakhi, Ismail Alavi, Mohammad Hossein Karroubi, Farajollah Kamijani, Katayoun Golrokh, Fatemeh Ghoarai, Fakhr al-Sadat Mohtashami Pour, Mohammad Javad Mozaffar, Badr al-Sadat Mofidi, Zhila Makvandi, Ahmad Montazeri, Saeed Montazeri, Saeedeh Montazeri, Abdollah Momeni, Leila Mirghafari, Mehdi Nasiri, and Vossideh Voseqi. Meanwhile, Hanieh Bakhtiar, daughter of Mohammad Baqer Bakhtiar, told Voice of America that her father is in general ward 209 of Evin Prison, and his bail or release on bail has been canceled and has been converted to detention, with his case referred to the Islamic Revolutionary Court. According to this report, the date of Mr. Bakhtiar's court hearing is still unknown. Ms. Bakhtiar expressed serious concern about her father's health condition, stating that at 67 years old, he suffers from multiple illnesses due to chemical exposure during the eight-year Iran-Iraq War and also has diabetes, making it difficult for him to be in prison. The situation of Mohammad Baqer Bakhtiar in Evin Prison; beatings and poor health conditions. Hundreds of political and civil activists: detainees from the February 25 gathering should be released. Judiciary: recent detainees 'were seeking to disturb public order.'