Arrest of some citizens for expressing opinions about the Kerman explosions
The Kerman explosions and the comments made by some citizens about these explosions on social media led to their arrest.
Following last week’s deadly explosion in Kerman that killed and injured over 100 people, social media and its activists have been facing a lot of tension with cyber activists close to security agencies. Cyber activists close to security agencies have been identifying and disclosing the identities of users critical of the government who commented on the Kerman explosions, while security agencies have been summoning and then arresting these individuals and seizing their pages. About 76 percent of cyberspace users across the country have been arrested in connection with the incident.
According to HRANA, dozens of channels and accounts active in cyberspace close to security institutions took steps to identify and expose the identities of users who had published critical or humorous content on the fourth anniversary of Qassem Soleimani, which was accompanied by deadly explosions in Kerman.
In the aforementioned action, more than 108 citizens were summoned to security and judicial institutions, and in addition, 537 virtual pages were blocked and 2 business centers in Mazandaran and South Khorasan were sealed.
The aforementioned action by security agencies has raised concerns about privacy and freedom of expression in Iran, especially regarding activity in cyberspace.
The Tehran prosecutor also filed a criminal complaint against “Sadegh Zibakalam” and seven other prominent figures in the online space who had published articles about the Kerman explosions. The Fars News Agency, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, also reported that the reason for these individuals’ criminal charges was “making statements that violate morality and the law” about the deadly Kerman explosions.
Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Mohammad Hadi Rahimisadig, the director of the Tehran Province Seminary, also called for strict action against those who published material after the Kerman explosion.
