Reactions Continue to News of Raisi's Death; 14 Social Media Administrators in Bushehr Summoned

Mahr News Agency reported the summoning of 14 social media administrators in Bushehr and the formation of a legal case against them following their posts related to the helicopter crash that killed Ebrahim Raisi. Haidar Sousani, the police chief of Bushehr, announced that the content of 45 social media pages belonging to these individuals has also been deleted. He referred to these individuals as 'disturbers of psychological security' and added that they were required to sign commitments after being summoned to judicial authorities. Mahr News Agency did not mention the identities of those summoned. Meanwhile, the public security police in Fuman County, Gilan Province, also arrested seven social media users for their public reactions to Raisi's death, accusing them of 'disturbing public opinion.' According to the Iran Watch website, the police chief of Fuman stated on Saturday, June 5, that six men and one woman were arrested as part of separate operations based on surveillance and technical measures. Reports indicate that a new wave of summons and arrests of dozens of social media users continues following threats from the Cyber Police and the head of cyber security regarding citizens' reactions to the incident of Raisi's death and that of his companions in various cities across Iran. In this context, following the threats and arrests of citizens who expressed their joy on social media, the bank accounts of Shirin Najafi, sister of Hadith Najafi, one of the victims of the protests against the killing of Mahsa Amini in Alborz Province, were closed 'by order of legal authorities.' Fatemeh Heydari, sister of justice-seeker Javad Heydari, another victim of the 2021 nationwide protests, announced that Shirin Najafi's bank accounts were closed 'due to reactions to Raisi's death.' According to a report by the government news agency ISNA on June 2, Mehdi Bakhshi, the prosecutor of Kerman, announced that 288 social media users had been identified as 'virtual activists and leaders' under the title 'the Psychological Security Committee's response to offenders and disturbers of public security,' and in addition to 'telephone warnings and guidance' to 254 of them, 'eight others' were summoned to judicial authorities. Additionally, the intelligence organization of Golestan Province announced that they had arrested two media activists for commenting on Raisi's death. According to Mahr News Agency, 'two website managers' were arrested for what was described as 'spreading insulting content and rumors' regarding the death of Ebrahim Raisi and his companions. The intelligence organization of Golestan Province also stated that they would confront those commenting on Raisi's death, labeling it as 'disturbing the psychological security of society,' through what they termed 'specialized monitoring and intelligence oversight of activities in cyberspace.' In this context, the Ham-Mihan newspaper quoted Vahid Majid, head of the Cyber Production and Exchange Information Police (known as FATA), stating that the warnings, summons, and arrests of citizens for expressing opinions about Raisi's death were 'in line with cleansing cyberspace.' The joy of Iranians over Ebrahim Raisi's death due to the helicopter crash has been widely reflected on social media, with some users responding to this event with humorous phrases and narratives; these reactions have also reached international circles. Previously, several families seeking justice reacted to the helicopter crash and Raisi's death by sharing videos of dancing and joy; according to some of them, Islamic Republic officials have threatened some of the seekers of justice that 'we will arrest you for your reactions.' According to reports received by Voice of America and shared on social media, the dancing and joy of Iranians outside of Iran in response to Raisi's death continues. The security and judicial apparatus of the Islamic Republic's response to the public's reactions to Raisi's death continues, with the government's reaction to the public display of joy following Raisi's death ranging from threats from official institutions to warnings from government supporters in cyberspace, leading to the closure of the Tehran Stock Exchange, cinemas, and sporting events; internet disruptions and disturbances in the subways of western Tehran.