Hamid Reza Rahmati

Is a member of the teachers' union in Isfahan. His one-person demos to protest the continued arrest of activists led to his arrest.

• <coverage-outsourcing id='26532'> Was arrested by the security forces and sent to the police detention house in Shahreza. Speaking to a HRANA reporter, a credible source explained the arrest of Mr Rahmati: “The authorities had a warrant for Mr Rahmati and went to the school where he works but didn’t enter. This led Mr Rahmati to go personally to the CID unit of police and was then arrested.” The arrest was reportedly due to a sit-in in front of the education department in Shahreza. Concurrent with the nationwide teachers’ protests (1 to 10 December), he demonstrated in front of the education department in Shahreza to back the imprisoned teacher-activists, including Mahmood Beheshti Langeroodi. He had also organized protest sit-ins in 2015 and 2016 against the security crackdown on teachers. In 2015, Mr Rahmati was arrested due to organizing a sit-in and hunger strike and was released a few hours later </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='26533'> He was released on bail </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='26534'> Shahreza’s public court sentenced him to prison, blows of the lash and financial penalty. He was discretionarily sentenced to 18 months on the conviction of “disrupting public order” and “disrupting public minds.” In addition to the prison sentence, he got 74 blows of the lash in presence of other prisoners and employees of Shahreza prison for the first conviction and a financial penalty of 20 million rials for the second; The judge also asked for 10 months of his prison to be away from home in Naeen prison. Based on the Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, his enforceable sentence will be 18 months in prison, 10 months prison away from home and a financial penalty of 20 million rials </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='26773'> The appellate court added additional sentences and confirmed the initial sentence. This is while he had not appealed the initial sentence. Quoting Mr Rahmati, Hrana said the appeal request had come from the Shahreza Prosecutor. The verdict by the appellate court affirms that the prosecutor is not among the officials entitled to ask for a repeal of a sentence or amnesty which is why the appeal request was denied. The appellate court also brought new sentences for Mr Rahmati: a copy of the verdict will be displayed in Shahreza’s education department and he is to publish 40 counts of services rendered by the Islamic Republic </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='27468'> According to the teachers union, he was arrested for his sentence to be carried out. While being arrested, Mr Rahmati said he will stage a hunger strike to protest the arrest </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='27540'> Was sent to hospital due to low blood pressure caused by the hunger strike, Hrana reported </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='27559'> A number of educators published pictures of themselves to ask for an unconditional release of Hamidreza Hemati </coverage-outsourcing>