Iran has made mass arrests of supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and former political prisoners in recent days, simultaneous with the anniversary of the 1979 revolution and its upcoming parliamentary election.
The Iranian regime is afraid of the resurgence of Iran protests and increasing activities of MEK supporters.
In a statement on these mass arrests issued on February 11, the National Council of Resistance of Iran announced, “On February 8, the Intelligence Ministry arrested former political prisoners, Majid Mowtab, 59, Majid Zabihi, 55, Hassan Tarvardian, 61, Reza Qoli Shirmohammadi, 65, and his 25-year-old son, Yasser Shirmohammadi, and took them to the Ministry’s prison in Tabriz, northwest Iran. The first four were imprisoned for several years in the 1980s.”
The statement added, “In Zanjan, Ali Osanlou, 57, and his two sons, Morteza, 30, and Hamid, 24, were arrested on January 28. Last week, Mahmoud Yousefi and Mohammad Ali Karnama were arrested in Behshahr and Rostamkolah respectively. Both were political prisoners in the 1980s.”
Iran Human Rights Monitor urges the UN Security Council, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and other human rights rapporteurs to take urgent action to ensure safety of these prisoners and secure their immediate release.
