Tehran Teachers’ Syndicate Protests Abduction and Forced Hospitalization of Hashem Khastar in Psychiatric Hospital

The Tehran Teachers’ Syndicate issued a statement protesting the abduction and forced hospitalization of Hashem Khastar, an activist from the Mashhad Teachers’ Syndicate, in a psychiatric hospital.

In this statement published on Sunday, October 27, on a Telegram channel close to the Teachers’ Syndicate, it was stated that this action could be “a prelude to new horrific incidents” which, according to the syndicate, exceeds what the Iranian public can currently tolerate.

The Tehran Teachers’ Syndicate noted that it has no doubt and harbors no doubt about Mr. Khastar’s mental health, adding: “Undoubtedly, the currents that created this farce, by insisting on not learning from history, have made themselves and their ideas a laughingstock before the nation.”

This professional organization further called on Iranian civil institutions and people to stand vigilantly against this treatment of Mr. Khastar and warned officials: “At least to preserve their own position, they should prevent subordinate elements from engaging in such scandalous games.”

Earlier, Seddigheh Maleki, Hashem Khastar’s wife and member of the Mashhad Teachers’ Syndicate, reported that this teachers’ rights activist, who disappeared on the first day of Aban, was first abducted and then forcibly hospitalized in a neuropsychiatric hospital under security measures.

Ms. Maleki told Voice of America about the security apparatus’s long-standing effort to label this teachers’ rights activist as mentally ill, stating that contrary to the security apparatus’s claims, he is in perfect health and has no medical history except for high blood pressure, which resulted from his imprisonment in 2009.

According to her, security personnel previously suggested during this activist’s imprisonment that he confess to having a neuropsychiatric illness so he could be released from prison.

Treatment of teachers’ syndicate activists has intensified in recent weeks.

In early September, six teachers’ syndicate activists who were arrested during a gathering in April were each sentenced to nine months imprisonment and a fine in lieu of flogging.

Shortly thereafter, following a nationwide teachers’ strike, a number of protesting teachers were summoned to the judiciary.

Source: Voice of America