Iranian teachers arrested, indicted, and summoned amid protests
During yesterday’s protests by teachers in 22 cities across 14 provinces in Iran, a number of protesting teachers were arrested. Among those detained were Fatemeh Tadrisi in Tehran, Atakeh Rajabi in Mashhad, and Fateh Osmani and Farzad Safikhani in Sanandaj.
Fatemeh Tadrisi (Mojgan), a teacher living in Tehran, went to Baharestan Square (in front of the parliament) on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, to participate in a gathering of educators. Security forces apprehended her, and later she announced her transfer to Qarchak prison in a phone call. At the time of writing this report, no information regarding the charges against Fatemeh Tadrisi has been made available.
This marks the third time Fatemeh Tadrisi has been arrested since the start of the protests in September 2022. She has spent time in Karaj’s Fardis (Kachouii) and Evin prisons.
On the same day, Atakeh Rajabi was arrested by security forces while leaving her home to attend the teachers’ gathering in Mashhad. The security forces later ransacked Ms. Rajabi’s residence.
Atekeh Rajabi was a primary school teacher in a village near Mashhad. The Khorasan Department of Education dismissed her from her job on January 5, 2023, due to her support of the nationwide protests. As of the writing of this report, the reasons for her arrest and the charges against her, as well as her current location, remain unknown.
Indicting and summoning protesting teachers
In addition to the arrests of several teachers during recent protests across Iran, some have also been indicted and summoned to court.
In addition, Kowkab Badaghi Pegah, a physical education teacher at a high school in Izeh, has been summoned to the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court. She must appear in court on June 17 to defend herself against charges of “gathering and collusion to disrupt domestic security, anti-regime propaganda activities, and membership in opposition groups.”
Ms. Badaghi Pegah had previously been summoned due to her activities. She is one of the 11 activist teachers in the Khuzestan province who have been issued indictments and summoned to the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court.
Ahvaz is the capital of the oil-rich Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran.
In response to the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Associations call, Iranian teachers staged protests in front of the Departments of Education on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, against the Education Ministry’s failure to respond to their demands.
The framework of activities for the Teachers’ Trade Union and the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Associations is defined and clear based on their constitution and defined demands.