Some Detainees from February 25 Protest in Tehran Remain Imprisoned

Reports received by Voice of America indicate that several organizers and participants of the protest on Thursday, February 25, in front of Tehran University are still detained and have not been released. This protest was called by a group of supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard, and Mehdi Karroubi, demanding an end to the house arrest of the leaders of the protests against the 2009 election results. However, a day before the protest, several individuals involved in organizing the event, including Rahim Qamishi, Akbar Danesh Saroudi, Naser Daneshfar, Mahmoud Dardakshan, and his son were arrested. Following this, the Telegram channel 'Kalemeh,' close to Mir Hossein Mousavi, reported on Thursday citing 'eyewitnesses' that 'over 400 people were arrested at the protest against house arrest and transferred to the police headquarters near Enghelab Square, with some being released after interrogation.' Among those detained on Thursday were Hossein Laghmanian, a representative from the sixth term of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and 'two members of Ayatollah Montazeri's family,' Saeed and Saideh Montazeri, who were later released. According to reports received by Voice of America, there is no information about the status of Rahim Qamishi, including the charges against him and his place of detention, and it has only been stated that Mr. Qamishi was arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps agents. Additionally, Mohammad Baqer Bakhtiar and Mohsen Qashqai Zadeh are still in custody. In this regard, Ali Reza Bakhtiar, Mr. Bakhtiar's son, quoted an eyewitness at the prosecutor's office on the social media platform 'X' stating that his father was 'offered release on bail,' which he deemed illegal and refused. According to him, Mohammad Baqer Bakhtiar is being held in Ward 2-A of Evin Prison under the supervision of the IRGC intelligence. Hanieh Bakhtiar, Mr. Bakhtiar's daughter, also expressed concern on her Instagram page about her father's multiple health issues stemming from his 70 months of service during the Iran-Iraq War, warning that he is 'in no way in good physical condition' and must take his medication on time and be regularly treated due to 'lung problems from mustard gas, neurological issues from blast waves, diabetes, and other problems.' Ms. Bakhtiar emphasized that her father's lack of access to medications since Thursday puts him in a 'critical and dangerous physical and mental condition,' adding that 'if anything happens to my father, Ali Khamenei is directly responsible.' Reports received by Voice of America also indicate the release of Naser Daneshfar.