Teacher Prisoner Rasoul Badaghi Released, Baghani Sent to Exile, Abbasi and Beheshti Langaroodi on Hunger Strike
Peyman Haj Mahmoud Attar, lawyer for imprisoned teacher Rasoul Badaghi, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that this union activist, who was sentenced to an additional three years in prison upon completion of his six-year sentence in September, was released from Evin Prison on conditional release in August 1389 by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court headed by Judge Solwati, and is now sentenced to six years imprisonment and five years deprivation of free activities.
Rasoul Badaghi, a teacher and member of the board of directors of the Iranian Teachers’ Union, was arrested on 11 September 1388 and sentenced on 13 of the same month. In September 1394, after serving six years in prison when he was expected to be released, the Revolutionary Court headed by Judge Moghisseh sentenced him to an additional one year in prison under the charge of “propaganda against the system” and two more years for what was called “insulting Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader,” according to the court.
Peyman Haj Mahmoud Attar, Mr. Badaghi’s lawyer, told the Campaign: “After combining these two years and one year based on Article 134 and with conditional release, the continuation of his imprisonment has been cancelled.” This lawyer expressed hope that Mr. Badaghi’s release would indicate that the government has developed a better approach towards teachers and union activists: “These individuals have truly committed no crime. None of the charges attributed to these people are based on reality. They only protested to improve the living conditions of their colleagues and to implement the coordination law for equal rights and establish equal rights for teachers with other government employees.”
Meanwhile, an informed source told the Campaign yesterday (9 Ordibehesht) that in recent days, with the approach of International Workers’ Day (May 1st), pressure on union activists, particularly teachers, has intensified: “Some active teachers have been summoned and made to commit that they will not organize any activities for Workers’ Day.”
Peyman Haj Mahmoud Attar, the lawyer who also represents other imprisoned members of the Teachers’ Union, also said: “Ali Akbar Baghani, another imprisoned teacher, must also appear this week and go to Zabol city in Sistan and Baluchestan province to serve two years of exile.” Ali Akbar Baghani, a teacher and vice president of the Teachers’ Union, along with Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroodi, were summoned to the Information Follow-up Office on 4 Ordibehesht 1389. On Thursday, 9 Ordibehesht, security forces simultaneously raided the homes of both men and arrested them. Each spent approximately two months in solitary confinement in Ward 209 of Evin Prison and were later released on heavy bail. Mr. Baghani was sentenced in December 1391 by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court headed by Judge Pirabbasi to one year imprisonment and two years exile to Zabol city in Sistan and Baluchestan province under the charge of “propaganda against the system.” He was convicted. After being summoned to Evin Prosecutor’s Office on 4 Khordad 1394, Mr. Baghani was transferred to Rjaiee Shahr Prison to serve his sentence and was released on 26 Esfand 1394.
Ismail Abbasi, another imprisoned teacher and secretary general of the Iranian Teachers’ Union, who has been sentenced to six years imprisonment on two charges of “propaganda against the system and society and conspiracy against national security,” has begun a hunger strike as of today (10 Ordibehesht). A source close to Ismail Abbasi told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran on 25 Farvardin that this hunger strike is in protest of the securitization of union activities and gatherings and strikes of workers and teachers, wages below the poverty line, prohibition of independent and free commemoration of International Workers’ Day and International Teachers’ Day, lack of transparency and effective action by the International Labor Organization (ILO) regarding violations of fundamental rights of workers and teachers in Iran, and demanding the removal of the charge of “assembly and conspiracy to act against national security” and other security-related charges from the files of protesting workers and teachers, and the removal of such false and fabricated charges from their files and other imprisoned labor and teacher activists. Haj Mahmoud Attar also said regarding Mr. Abbasi’s condition that after our appeal to the Revolutionary Court’s verdict, the appellate court has not yet announced the final result.
Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroodi, former spokesperson of the Teachers’ Union, has also begun a hunger strike as of the first of Ordibehesht. An informed source told the Campaign yesterday that he went on a hunger strike in Evin Prison in protest of what he called “unjust sentences issued by the Revolutionary Court.” In a statement published on the website of Teachers’ and Workers’ Rights on the first day of Ordibehesht, this imprisoned teacher wrote: “Until the execution of the sentence is halted and a public and legal trial is held in accordance with Article 168 of the Constitution, I will continue my hunger strike and will consume nothing except water, tea, sugar, and salt.” He also wrote: “Any responsibility for any unpleasant incident that may befall me during the hunger strike or thereafter shall be borne by all those who remain silent or indifferent to my grievances.”
Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroodi, former spokesperson of the Iranian Teachers’ Union, was sentenced in 1392 by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court headed by Judge Solwati to five years imprisonment. When his sentence was issued in Khordad 1392, he wrote on his Facebook page: “Mr. Solwati delivered my sentence to me. Four years imprisonment for conspiracy against national security, one year imprisonment for propaganda against the system, counting four years of suspended imprisonment, totaling nine years of imprisonment, just like that.”
Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
