Son of Betool Amini, Detained Teacher: My Mother Was Likely Imprisoned for Protesting the Iran-China Deal

The son of a female teacher imprisoned in Mashhad says the case prosecutor has prevented his mother from accessing a lawyer and has threatened the family that if they hire a lawyer, a “ban on access” order will be issued for the case.

Fuad Sejudi Farmanesh, son of Betool Amini Dahadgari, an elementary school teacher in Mashhad who was arrested on Monday, the 16th of Farvardin, when security forces raided her home, searched it, and confiscated personal items such as a mobile phone and tablet, before transferring her to an unknown location, told Voice of America that during this period, only once, and then briefly, was this imprisoned teacher allowed to contact her family.

He continued, stating that some family members, after several visits to the court, managed only once to visit Ms. Amini Dahadgari in person at the interrogation branch, but were not allowed to speak with her.

Mr. Sejudi Farmanesh, referring to the prosecutor’s objection to the family’s request for a lawyer to enter the case, told Voice of America: “[The fact that] such a thing is possible in Iran’s government, in the Islamic Republic, that a prosecutor does not allow a lawyer to formally enter a case, is incomprehensible to me. What kind of court is this and what kind of judicial system allows denying the right to have a lawyer to an accused person?”

The son of Ms. Amini Dahadgari, while expressing ignorance about the reason for the detention and the location where this elementary school teacher is being held, continued his conversation with Voice of America by referring to the timing of this matter with protests that occurred following the China deal: “My mother was among these protesters. We think this coincidence in timing may not be unrelated, and they were arrested because of protesting this deal.”

Fuad Sejudi Farmanesh added: “It is obvious to me that they, surely at this moment, are under pressure to confess to various other charges; things that they may not have even done.”

He concluded by referring to the poor state of Betool Amini Dahadgari’s health and her need for access to medication and her doctor, requesting from the Islamic Republic authorities to respect the civil rights of this imprisoned teacher, allow her lawyer to enter the case, inform the family of the place of detention and charges, allow her to have access to her medications, and finally examine her medical and health conditions.

He stressed, however, that it is unlikely that the Islamic Republic authorities will pay attention to these requests.

The United States has repeatedly condemned violent treatment and widespread suppression of protesters and civil activists in various cases, as well as the continuous and repeated violations of the rights of Iranian citizens by the Islamic Republic.