Inside Iran’s Shocking Roundup of Female Activists Before Key Protest Date!

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The Islamic Republic is ramping up its efforts to suppress dissent in Iran as the anniversary of the protests that were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini on September 16, 2022, with the arrest and imprisonment of at least 22 activists, mostly women, in less than a month, according to the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).

“Iranian authorities are rounding up activists around the country, especially women, to deliver a message of fear to the populace ahead of the one-year anniversary of the ‘Woman Life Freedom’ protest movement: stand up again, and we’ll crush you,” Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the CHRI, said.

“This surge in repression, after the state’s killing of hundreds of protesters over the last year, demands a global response that goes beyond amplifying the voices of these courageous women,” Ghaemi added. “The international community must take decisive measures against political leaders and judiciary members in Iran who perpetuate this unlawful and violent repression.”

The intensifying crackdown on dissent by the Iranian regime comes at a time when the Islamic Republic is continuing its repressive campaigns of suppressing women, especially those found not complying with the mandatory hijab law, as well as religious minorities like Sunni Muslims and members of the Baha’i faith.

Iranian authorities have been publicly arresting activists across the country in hopes of intimidating dissidents and deterring potential protests on the streets as the nation commemorates the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini under the custody of the morality police.

Most of the activists arrested by the Islamic Republic since July 30 were women, and most were residing in the northern province of Gilan. However, a few were also from other regions like Kurdistan and Tehran. Many of these individuals also recently visited families seeking justice for state repression and violence victims.

The local branch of Iran’s Intelligence Ministry in Gilan Province released a statement on August 17, confirming the arrest of the activists, whom the statement described as “a team related to foreign elements,” indicating the effort by Iranian authorities to press charges against and detain these activists in Gilan.

Even though the statement did not reveal the identities of the activists, it hinted at the 12 activists fighting for political and women’s rights. The statement also asserted that the activists were “preparing to incite disruptions and insecurity in Gilan as well as in parts of Kurdistan province.”

The Center for Human Rights in Iran also cited the lack of information surrounding the circumstances of the arrested activists over the course of several days, as well as how the Islamic Republic deprived the accused of the right to contact their family members via phone, right to legal representation and fair trial, and the possibility of extended, possibly overnight, interrogations.

“More than a crackdown, this is a deliberate assault on civil society,” Ghaemi said. “Iran’s leadership continues to unveil its deep-seated fear of its citizens.”

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