Son of arrested teacher Batoul Amini: My mother was probably imprisoned for protesting the Iran-China agreement

The son of a female teacher imprisoned in Mashhad says that the investigator in his mother's case has denied her access to a lawyer and has threatened the family that if they get a lawyer, he will issue a "restriction order" to the case.

Fawad Sojoodi Farimani, the son of Batoul Amini, a primary school teacher in Mashhad, who was arrested on Monday, April 6, when security agents raided his home after searching and confiscating some of his personal belongings, such as a mobile phone and tablet, and taken to an unknown location, told VOA that during this period, the imprisoned teacher was only allowed to contact his family once, and that too briefly.

He added that after several visits to the court, some family members only managed to meet Ms. Amini Dehyadgari in person at the investigation branch once, but they were not allowed to speak.

Referring to the investigator's opposition to the family's request for a lawyer to enter the case, Mr. Sojoodi Farimani told VOA: "[That] such a thing could happen in the Iranian government, in the Islamic Republic, that the investigator would not officially allow a lawyer to enter the case is incomprehensible to me. What kind of court and what kind of judicial system is this that denies a defendant permission to have a lawyer?"

The son of Ms. Amini Dehyadgari, while expressing ignorance of the reason for the arrest and whereabouts of this elementary school teacher, continued his interview with VOA, referring to the coincidence of this issue with the protests that took place after the China contract, saying: "My mother was also among these protesters. We think that this coincidence is not irrelevant and that she was arrested for protesting this contract."

Fawad Sojoodi Farimani added: "It is obvious to me that he is now under pressure to confess to all sorts of other charges; things he may not have even done."

Finally, referring to the poor health condition of Batoul Amini Deh-Yadegari and her need for access to medicine and a doctor, he called on the authorities of the Islamic Republic to respect the citizenship rights of this imprisoned teacher, allow a lawyer to enter the case, inform the family of the place of detention and the charges, allow her access to her medications, and finally examine her medical conditions and health.

However, he emphasized that it is unlikely that the Islamic Republic's authorities will heed these requests.

The United States has repeatedly and on various occasions condemned the Islamic Republic's violent confrontations and widespread repression of protesters and civil activists, as well as its repeated and persistent violations of the rights of Iranian citizens.