Alarm Raised over Fate of Jailed Iranian Writers, Blogger

Iranwire – Concerns are growing over the safety of two Iranian writers and a popular blogger who have been arrested by security forces amid a widening crackdown on freedom of expression and dissent.

A group of Iranian cinema workers and artists issued a joint statement on social media saying that well-known actor and dramatist Mehdi Etemad Saeed has been unheard of for nearly two months.

“We are uncertain about the specific charges that led to the arrest of Mehdi, a theater actor and children’s facilitator, as well as the location of his detention. Additionally, it remains puzzling why, even after eight weeks, his colleagues and family are still in the dark about his current status.”

Saeed was arrested in Tehran on June 9 in the presence of his wife and two-year-old child.

No official explanation has been given for his detention.

Over 200 Iranian poets, writers, artists and activists also signed a statement calling for the release of their colleague Habib Mousavi Bibalani.

The poet, critic and writer was arrested on July 31 on charges of “propaganda against the system” and “causing unease in the public mind.”

He is being held in Amir Aban prison in the northern city of Gorgan.

His family is concerned about his health, as he suffers from a number of chronic conditions affecting his heart, lumbar discs, stomach and kidneys.

“In 2023, when a political system…resembles past totalitarian regimes, impacting the lives of thinkers and creators of ideas without restraint, it pervades its existence,” the joint statement reads. “This system…continues until the final veil of obscurity shrouds them. 

“It becomes unavoidable to deduce that such a political system has severely dwindled its prospects of regaining lost legitimacy, rendering its future uncertain,” the statement adds. 

Meanwhile, Dadban, a group of volunteers who provide legal advice to activists and protesters, reported that the family of well-known blogger and satirist Shaker Bori has not received any information about him since his arrest on July 31.

Security forces arrested Bori in the south-western city of Abadan on July 31 and took him to an undisclosed location. 

Dadban quoted the Abadan Intelligence Department as telling his family, “We lack any information concerning his status, therefore, we suggest filing a missing persons report.”

Bori, who has over 1.2 million followers on Instagram, has criticized the government’s policies through his thought-provoking videos.