Arrest of Keyvan Mohtadi and Anisha Asadollahi, Cultural and Civil Activists in Iran

The Iranian Writers’ Association reported the arrest of Keyvan Mohtadi, a writer and member of the organization, and his wife, Anisha Asadollahi, a news translator.

The arrest of these two cultural and civil activists took place on Monday afternoon, April 9 (19 Ordibehesht), by Iranian security forces. Moments before the arrest, Mohtadi published a short video on his Instagram story in which he said: “They have come to take us.”

The charges against these two writers and translators are unclear. It has also not been announced which security agency is responsible for their arrest or where they are being held. The Iranian Writers’ Association, given these circumstances, has warned that “responsibility for any harm to their health will rest with the government’s security agencies and the judiciary.”

Anisha Asadollahi has been arrested multiple times previously and has a one-year prison sentence for participating in labor gatherings. Keyvan Mohtadi was also briefly arrested during the 2018 protests by employees of the Bus Drivers Syndicate.

Source: Radio Farda