Summons and Interrogation of Several Political Activists in Sanandaj, Kermanshah Province
Kiomars Vaezi, a high school teacher and political activist residing in Sanandaj, Kermanshah, told the Iran Human Rights Campaign that over the past several days, three experienced political activists from Sanandaj have been summoned to the Kermanshah Intelligence Office and interrogated.
According to Kiomars Vaezi, over the past “three to four days“, several political activists named “Barzu Naderi, Ehsan Darabi, and Fahim Naseri“ have been summoned to the Kermanshah Intelligence Office without “written summons“ and “only verbally through telephone contact“ on charges based on “activity in cyberspace“. Mr. Vaezi said all of them were interrogated for extended hours.
Regarding the reason for their summons, Kiomars Vaezi says: “I only know it’s related to their writings in cyberspace. During the interrogations, they showed them printed copies of their writings on Telegram channel and other places.“
According to this Kermanshah-based activist, a number of political and civil activists residing in Sanandaj, Kermanshah, created a Telegram channel called “Today West, Uncensored Media“ where they publish writings and news related to Kermanshah and other Iranian cities. This Telegram channel remains active.
The main occupations of those summoned and interrogated by the Kermanshah Intelligence Office are as follows: Kiomars Vaezi is a high school graphic design teacher, Barzu Naderi is a high school mathematics teacher, Fahim Naseri is self-employed, and Ehsan Darabi is a taxi driver. These individuals are also political activists who have been active in electoral campaign headquarters in Sanandaj and have written about their political and social beliefs in cyberspace, such as on the Telegram channel “Today West“.
Additionally, Zahra Asadi, the wife of Kiomars Vaezi, has been summoned via text message to the Kermanshah Security Police. Ms. Asadi is a law student at Payam Noor University and was also the head of Hassan Rouhani’s women’s headquarters during the 2017 presidential election.
Regarding Ehsan Darabi, a taxi driver who was summoned due to his cyberspace writings, Mr. Vaezi told the Iran Human Rights Campaign: “Ehsan, like many others, was commenting on events in his city and country on social media platforms like Telegram. A few months ago, he left for Qom due to unemployment and was hired as a driver at a taxi agency there, but a few days ago the Kermanshah Intelligence Office contacted him and told him he must report himself to the office on Wednesday morning, the 26th of Dey. Mr. Darabi went to the Intelligence Office at 8:30 AM on the 26th of Dey but has not been released until now (evening of the 27th of Dey). He contacted one of his relatives a while ago and asked him to arrange bail for him, but tomorrow is Friday and his bail posting and release will not take place until Saturday.“
Kiomars Vaezi, who has himself been interrogated and detained several times before, told the campaign that he has a new case pending in court at “the Public and Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj District“ on the first day of Bahman with charges of “spreading false information“ and “propaganda and insult against the system“ through “activity on computer and telecommunications systems“. He was previously summoned twice for this case through written summonses on the dates of 20 Azar and 19 Dey 97 to the “Information and Public Security Police of Sanandaj District“ and was interrogated. His first court hearing will be on the first day of Bahman 97.
Source: Iran Human Rights
