Over 600 Writers, Artists, and Civil Activists Protest Ahmad Derakhshan's Prison Sentence

More than 600 teacher rights activists, civil activists, lawyers, and writers protested the Revolutionary Court's ruling against Ahmad Derakhshan, a teacher and novelist, deeming it a sign of the continued "policy of suppressing cultural elites." The statement from these civil and professional activists, published on Tuesday, January 25, warns of the increase in intellectuals and social activists in recent months, stating that despite the government's promise of "national reconciliation," administrative violation committees "continue to engage in security confrontations with progressive teachers, and the judiciary also issues and enforces unjust sentences using previous methods." The statement further references the ruling by the judge of the second branch of the Revolutionary Court in Karaj against Ahmad Derakhshan, who was sentenced to one year of imprisonment, two years of prohibition from teaching, a travel ban, and removal from public jobs based on charges such as "propaganda against the regime." The signatories emphasized that "this unjust ruling" against a teacher and writer "reflects the government's insistence on continuing the policy of suppressing cultural elites." Ahmad Derakhshan, in addition to teaching, has authored books such as "Mahmani," "Five Chapters on the Return of Salim and Dualpa," and "Dance." The statement adds: "The result of this dangerous approach is the frustration of the country's concerned intellectuals and the exacerbation of crises that disrupt our political and social life." The signatories ultimately expressed support for Ahmad Derakhshan and called for the annulment of this ruling in the appeals court. Among the signatories are Saleh Nikbakht, Ismail Abdi, Ali Afshari, Nemat Ahmadi, Javad Mojabi, Reza Shahabi, Abdollah Momeni, Hoshyar Ansari Far, Reza Jolaei, Abou Tarab Khosravi, Shiva Aristotle, Abtin Golkar, and Aliyeh Matlabi Zadeh.