In a fresh wave of judicial pressure against teachers in Iran, an indictment has been issued for nine teachers and union activists in Kerman Province, including five female teachers, referring their case to Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Kerman.
The indictment, issued by Branch 4 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Kerman, lists the names of five female teachers—Shahnaz Rezaei, Zahra Azizi, Mitra Nikpour, Fatemeh Yazdani, and Leila Afshar—alongside four male teachers.
The charges brought against them include “insulting sacred values and officials,” “propaganda against the state,” and “disrupting national security through membership in anti-state groups.” The group is scheduled to appear before the Revolutionary Court on July 20 to present their defense.
This is not the first time these educators have faced security-related harassment. On June 9, 2024, they were summoned to the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Kerman. Previously, in October 2022, three of the accused—Zahra Azizi, Mohammadreza Behzadpour, and Hossein Rashidi—were summoned by the Security Police.
In recent days, reports have surfaced of mass arrests across various cities in Iran. Fars News Agency, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), claimed that 700 individuals were detained on charges of involvement in “espionage networks.” Meanwhile, judiciary officials in Kermanshah reported the arrest of 115 people on allegations of “anti-regime propaganda.” In the Fars Province, 53 individuals have been accused of “spreading public discontent,” and 60 others face similar charges in Isfahan.
The surge in arbitrary arrests underscores the Iranian regime’s continued policy of intimidation and repression in the face of growing public discontent and fear of popular uprisings.
