Arrest of Families of Those Killed in Iran’s Street Protests in Isfahan
The Hrana website reported the seizure of a bus carrying families of some of those killed in Iran’s recent street protests and the arrest of at least 22 of them.
According to the website, these individuals were arrested on Wednesday, April 8 in Isfahan while returning from the mausoleum of Sergeant Asad Bakhtiari, an Iranian constitutionalist, the website reported.
Based on this report, among the detainees are Manouchehr Bakhtiari and Nahid Shirbishi, parents of Pooya Bakhtiari, who was killed in the November 2019 protests in Karaj; Sakina Ahmadi, mother of Ibrahim Ketabdar, another victim of the November 2019 protests; and Huria Farajzadeh Tarani, sister of Shahram Farajzadeh, killed in the December 2009 protests in Tehran.
Other detainees include: “Mona Shirbishi, Pouran Nazemi, Mehrdad Bakhtiari, Kambiaz Norouzadeh, Ashkan Shirpesha, Arin Shirbishi, Hamideh Ketabdar, Javad Laleh Mohammadi, Hashem Amini, Iran Allah Yari, Mohammad Karimi, Mahyar Zafarmehr and his daughter, Yashar Tabriz along with his two daughters and the mother of Vahid Namvar with her daughter.”
As Hrana reported, the detainees have been transferred to Isfahan prison.
Masih Alinejad, a journalist, also released audio and video files from the detainees, who contacted her during their arrest and explained the situation.
According to Ms. Alinejad’s report, the detainees chanted “No to selling Iran” {in protest of the 25-year agreement between Iran and China} and “No to the Islamic Republic” at the mausoleum of Sergeant Asad Bakhtiari.
The parents of Pooya Bakhtiari and the mother of Ibrahim Ketabdar told Alinejad that during the arrest, “over 50 police vehicles rushed” their bus.
Based on this report, Ms. Sakina Ahmadi “lost consciousness” during the arrest.
Despite hours passing since the news was published on social media, police and judicial authorities have still not released any official statement on the matter.
However, on social media, a hashtag titled “Arrest of Justice-Seekers” has trended, with users criticizing the arrest of families of deceased protesters instead of addressing the protests and complaints about the killing of their children or relatives.
This is not the first time that security forces have dealt with survivors and families of those killed in protests, prisoners, or even survivors of the Ukrainian passenger plane that was shot down by Revolutionary Guards missiles.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has in numerous instances not only treated protesters with violence in prisons and detention centers, but also in the streets, and has resorted to threats, beatings, and even arrests of their families if they protest.
The proposal to demand blood money from families, introducing them as Basij members, and claiming those killed died at the hands of “opposition and counter-revolutionary groups,” have been among the government’s efforts to change the status of those killed in Iran’s recent protests, which has faced increasing violence from security and police forces each year.
Source: Radio Farda
