More than 45 days after the Iran’s nationwide protests, widespread arrests continue in Iran.
The Iranian regime arrested 38 protesters as “elements and leaders of seditions” in Tehran and five other cities over the weekend, according to the state-run media.
On December 28, the state-run Mehr News Agency quoted the Chief of Special Police in western Tehran as saying that eight people who were “identified as elements and leaders of seditions” were arrested.
He also claimed the detained citizens invited others to protests in Eslamshahr and Shahriar, both in western Tehran, through social media platforms.
Mehr had previously quoted Ali Akbar Javidan, State Security Force (SSF) Commander in Kermanshah Province, as saying on December 19, 2019, “More than 250 leaders of last month’s riots, mostly 20 to 35 years old, who confessed having links with terrorist grouplets and enemies of the revolution, have been arrested.”
The Isfahan Chief of Police said that three people were detained in Baharestan. They were also accused of inviting Iranians to participate in protests in November.
State-run news agencies said on December 28, that 26 people were detained in Kerman, Savojbolagh, Tehran and Kazerun as the “elements and leaders of seditions”.
The reports claimed that the 13 people detained in Kerman were the “main elements behind the blockage of roads” during nationwide protests in November.
In Kazerun, the Chief of Police claimed that a person who was the “main elements behind the destruction and torching of a seminary and 11 banks” was detained.
The Savojbolagh Chief of Police said that five people who were involved in November’s protests in the city were identified and detained. He also said that they had “confessed” to their crimes.
The Chief of Police of Eastern Terhan also said that seven people who were involved in protests were detained in Varamin, Pakdasht and Pardis.
There have been reports that the regime is hunting down wounded protesters.
Farshid Eftekhari Vaziri, 25, who was shot and wounded by security forces during the nationwide protests, was detained on December 26 in Shahriar, and was taken to an unknown location.
Security forces said he was detained for “leading the seditions”.
Farshid Eftekhari Vaziri, 25, who was shot & wounded by security forces during Nov #IranProtests was arrested on Dec 26 in Shahriar, #Tehran. Security forces said he was detained for "leading the sedition" & took him to an unknown location. @mbachelet @JavaidRehman @amnesty pic.twitter.com/uT2Sj5zBGC
— IRAN HRM (@IranHrm) December 30, 2019
At least 12,000 people have been arrested during the November protests. The prisoners are under severe conditions. According to reports the authorities have transferred many of the wounded out of hospitals to prison and put them under torture.
Many of the detainees, including those in Shiraz, are being pressured to take part in televised “confessions” and speak out against the uprising and the Iranian Resistance.