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RFL/RE – Iranian authorities have referred the case of Masud Zeynalzadeh, who was arrested at the funeral of 17-year-old Armita Garavand, to Tehran’s Revolutionary Court in an escalation of their campaign against members of the teachers’ union.
The Coordinating Council of Teachers Syndicates said on November 5 that Zeynalzadeh’s file had been expedited to the Islamic Revolutionary Court.
Zeynalzadeh has been in custody since October 29 following his participation in funeral services for Garavand, who died last month just weeks after an alleged altercation with the morality police enforcing the hijab requirement.SEE ALSO:Iranian Teen Who Died After Alleged Incident With Morality Police Buried Amid Tight Security, Detentions
The Tehran Prosecutor’s Office swiftly formulated charges against Zeynalzadeh, issuing an indictment within a week of his arrest.
In a related development, Ahmad Alizadeh, a lecturer at Tehran University-College of Fine Arts, was sent to Ilam’s penitentiary on November 5 to serve a sentence of six years and one day. Alizadeh’s was arrested during the nationwide “Women, life, freedom” demonstrations in Abadan in October 2022. He had been temporarily released on bail.
Ilham’s Revolutionary Court had previously found Alizadeh guilty of forming a group to undermine national security and sentenced him to imprisonment, along with additional penalties including forced retirement and a prohibition on Internet use.
At the same time, Mohammad Habibi, a prominent figure and spokesman for the Tehran Teachers’ Association, faces new legal challenges after he was summoned once again to the Islamic Revolutionary Court.
A wave of repression has seen numerous teachers arrested, summoned for questioning, and imprisoned for their involvement in union activities and protests over the past year.
Unrest — including several protests by teachers — has rattled Iran in response to declining living standards, wage arrears, and a lack of welfare support. Labor law in Iran does not recognize the right of workers to form independent unions.
The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody in September 2022 for allegedly wearing a head scarf improperly added life to the protests, which officials across the country have tried to quell with harsh — and sometimes deadly — measures.
