Keivan Mohtadi

Keivan Mohtadi is an author, translator, and labor activist in Tehran. He was arrested along with teachers guild and workers guild activists in May 2022.

<coverage-outsourcing id='39371'> <reference source='https://t.me/kanoon_nevisandegane_iran/844'> He was arrested with Anisha Asadollahi at their home. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39372'> <reference source='https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FSyXWApXoAAAnmr?format=jpg&name=large'> The website of Ammar Cyber Headquarters wrote: Reza Shahabi and Maryam (Anisha) Asadollahi are under interrogation for charges related to “cooperation and communication with a group to overthrow the state.” According to the report, after the arrests of Reza Shahabi and Anisha Asadollahi, the Ministry of Information claimed: “The two labor activists were in contact with Cecile Kohler, member of FNEC FP-FO and her husband who entered the country with a tourism visa and are currently under the custody of this security organization. They were cooperating in their efforts to overthrow the state.” They were charged with “forming an anti-security nucleus with the goal of agitating the workers, teachers, and people in order to cause riots” in the country. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39375'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3PsUTq1'> Reza Shahabi's attorney Amir Raisian, Anisha Asadollahi, and Keyvan Mohtadi told Shargh newspaper that the second examination branch of the security prosecutor’s office has tied this case to security crimes. He said it is not clear “which qualified source with what permission has published the images of my clients and other arrested individuals. Because according to article 96 of the Penal Procedure Code, it is illegal for the media and law enforcement and even the judiciary to publish the images of the accused at this stage.” </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39418'> <reference source='https://t.me/kanoon_nevisandegane_iran/848'> The Iranian Authors Association released a statement condemning the framing of activists by the Ministry of Information, writing: “It is clear to everyone that these types of framings have always been used to deceive the public opinion, preparing grounds for coerced confessions, producing deceptive documentaries, long prison sentences, and intimidation and oppression of other activists.” The statement mentions that the security forces have produced media content to frame recently arrested activists including Keyvan Mohtadi, Reza Shahabi, Anisha Asadollahi, Reyhaneh Ansarinejad, Hassan Saeedi, Rasoul Bodaghi, Eskandar Lotfi, Masoud Nikkhah, and Shaban Mohammadi. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39835'> IPA sources report that the arrest warrant so Keivan Mohtadi and Anisha Asadollahi were extended for another month. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='40493'> <reference source='https://www.radiozamaneh.info/722037'> Keivan Mohtadi's mother told Radio Zamaneh that he has been transferred from solitary to a group cell in ward 209. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='40320'> <reference source='https://www.instagram.com/p/CfJ_dxRqAv0/'> According to the Vahed Bus company trade union, Evin Prison authorities denied visitation for the families of Reza Shahabi, Hassan Saeedi, Anisha Asadollahi, Keyvan Mohtadi, and Reyhaneh Ansari. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='40321'> <reference source='https://www.instagram.com/p/CfYKLCOuBKy/'> Some families of the arrested labor activists and Teachers’ Trade Union members released an open letter pointing out the two months of detention, solitary confinement, and denied visitation, and asked for their release. In the letter, the families condemn the “framing and baseless cases brought up by information agencies” and “shameless and illegal programs about them on state TV”. They said the threats and insults by the prison authorities and interrogators toward the prisoners and their families are clear instances of torture and persecution and asked the supporters and labor rights and teachers’ rights advocacy organizations in Iran and abroad to defend the basic rights of these prisoners. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='40746'> <reference source='https://www.radiozamaneh.com/722037/'> His mother Farzaneh Amiri Jah told Radio Zamaneh that she has not heard anything about her son in three weeks and the investigator at the second branch of Moqaddas court and Evin Prison authorities play psychological games with the families by denying that there is a ban on family visits for labor activists. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41209'> <reference source='https://www.radiofarda.com/a/workers-unions-called-for-releasing-unionists-in-iran/31984064.html'> According to Radio Farda, last week over 130 labor unions in 40 countries wrote letters to the leader of the Islamic Republic, the chief of the judiciary, and Iran's representative at the UN, demanding the immediate release of all union and guild activists in prison and said workers around the world are following the events in Iran closely. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41190'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2022/hranews/a-36432/'> He was transferred from ward 209 to ward 4 of Evin Prison a while back. According to HRANA< prison authorities told Mr. Mohtadi that his arrest warrant has been extended and no bail will be set for him. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41836'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2022/hranews/a-36753/'> A source told HRANA that the prison authorities extended Keivan Mohtadi's arrest warrant and said no bail will be set for his release. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42484'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3VaYCez'> The Islamic Republic's official news agency IRNA released a video of the forced confessions of Cecile Kohler and her husband Chuck Paris on its Twitter account and claimed that the two "French Spies" have "exposed their plans for causing riots in the country". In the video, Cecil Kohler identifies herself as an "Intelligence operative in the DGSE (French secret service)" and says the objective of her trip to Iran with her husband was "preparing the grounds for the revolution and overthrow of the Islamic regime of Iran". Her husband Chuck Parsi also said in his forced confession that the "objective" of the French foreign security organization is "putting pressure on the Iranian government." In the video, which was also aired by IRIB's Arabic channel Al-Alam, images of Reza Shahabi, Hassan Saeedi, Anisha Asadollahi, Keivan Mohtadi, Rasoul Bodaghi, Davoud Razavi, Eskandar Lotfi, Shaban Mohammadi, and Masoud Nikkhah are also displayed. The video aired at a time when the Islamic Republic is dealing with a global wave of Iranian protests after the murder of Mahsa Amini. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42510'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahedsyndica/4875?single'> The Vahed Bus Company syndicate released a statement rejecting the aired forced confessions as "baseless lies" and said Cecil Kohler and Chuck Paris are members of an independent teachers-workers French syndicate and "after their arrest, their syndicate has strongly rejected all the fake accusations against them and demanded their release." The Vahed company workers' syndicate said the couple's trip to Iran and meeting with labor activists were legal and public. In the end, the syndicate emphasizes that there has been no connection between the syndicate and any foreign government or syndicate, </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42959'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahedsyndica/4935'> The trial of Keivan Mohtadi was held at the 29th branch of the revolutionary court of Tehran presided by Judge Ali Mazloum. According to the Vahed Bus Company syndicate, the judge denied his request for release on bail. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='46133'> According to an IPA source, the 29th branch of the revolutionary court presided by Ali Mazloum sentenced Keivan Mohtadi to five years in prison for assembly and collusion, and one year in prison for propaganda against the state (Article 134: five years enforceable). </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='48210'> <reference source='https://ir.voanews.com/a/canada-labor-union-khamenei-human-rights-iran/6928221.html'> The workers' union of public services in Canada wrote a letter to Ali Khamenei and said the charges against all the prisoners involved in labor unions and human rights advocacy, and of the protesters who were arrested in violation of international law must be dropped unconditionally. According to VOA, the union expressed strong concerns about the continued arrest of activists, and strongly condemned the suppression of protesters, and execution of political prisoners in recent months. The letter has named Reza Shahabi, Davoud Razavi, Hassan Saeedi, Kayvan Mohtadi, Anisha Asadollahi, Rasoul Bodaghi, Jafar Ebrahimi, Eskandar Lotfi, Rayhaneh Ansarinejad, Shaban Mohammadi, Mohammad Habibi, and Masoud Nikkhah. It states that the heavy sentences including the six years in prison for Reza Shahabi, Hassan Saeedi, and Kayvan Mohtadi are very cruel. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='48638'> <reference source='https://www.radiozamaneh.info/750616'> Canadian intellectual and labor activists released a letter in support of Keivan Mohtadi in which he expresses his pride and honor that his work has been translated by Mr. Mohtadi. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='46897'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3I16Otr'> A group of political prisoners in Evin prison released a letter in solidarity and sympathy with the earthquake-stricken people of Khoy. They asked people across the country to help the people of Khoy as much as they can. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='49736'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/AnishaAsd1989/status/1635579191486824448?s=20'> Anisha Asadollahi reported on Twitter that political prisoners Ali Younesi, Amir Hossein Moradi, and Ali Moezzi in ward 4 of Evin Prison refused to use their family visitation in solidarity with Hassan Saeedi and his wife, and Keivan Mohtadi who were denied visitation. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='49199'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/AnishaAsd1989/status/1635555187501813760'> The 36th branch of the appeal court of Tehran confirmed the primary court's ruling in Mr. Mohtadi's case verbatim. His wife Anisha Asadollahi announced that they wrote in her husband's case: > No pardon (or sentence reduction) . </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='49197'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/AnishaAsd1989/status/1634097859774541824'> Anisha Asadollahi reported that her husband has lost his family visit privilege since March 8th. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='49732'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahedsyndica/5056'> The ban on family visits for Hassan Saeedi and Keivan Mohtadi was lifted and they were told they will be able to have a family visit on the last Saturday of the Persian year. Vahed Bus Company syndicate reported that the two thanked their ward mates Ali Younesi, Amir Hossein Moradi, and Ali Moezzi, and said if the three do not get family visits on Saturday as well, they will not accept their own family visits. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='50704'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3oJCQmA'> Hossein Taj, the defense attorney of Reza Shahabi, Hassan Saeedi, and Keyvan Mohtadi said the state TV with the help of the Ministry of Intelligence and in violation of the law and ethics has produced a documentary on labor activists while showing their faces. He told Ensaf News: > After the case was filed at Tehran's District 33 courthouse, the initial investigation of the case began with the arrests of Reza Shahabi, Hassan Saeedi, Keyvan Mohtadi, and others, and after indictment, their case was sent to the revolutionary court. Unfortunately, this documentary aired before any judicial decision...Of course, no legal action was taken against the culprits of this unlawful act. In his interview with Ensaf News, Mr. Taj said: > The case of Mr. Shahabi and Saeedi was sent to branch 26 of the revolutionary court of Tehran and Mr. Mohtadi's case was sent to branch 29 of the revolutionary court. Despite many clear flaws in the case which would prevent the trial, the court ignored all the flaws like the contradiction in the reports of the judicial magistrates, and by ignoring the defense of the attorneys, they sentenced the clients to the maximum legally-allowed punishment. In his interview, Hossein Taj mentioned that Reza Shahabi and Hassan Saeedi were not present during the trial, even though the prison was notified. He announced that their sentence has been confirmed by branch 36 of the appeal court of Tehran province and said: > Soon we will submit a retrial request at the supreme court and we hope based on the numerous problems in the indictment, the sentences would be overturned and we'd witness a fair and legal trial at a branch of equal rank. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='51069'> <reference source='https://www.instagram.com/vahedsyndica/'> Tehran Vahed Bus Company syndicate reported that a number of filmmakers visited the families of Reza Shahabi, Hassan Saeedi, and Keyvan Mohtadi, labor activists and members of the syndicate. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='50602'> <reference source='https://www.instagram.com/p/CrU8CautxcJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link'> A group of filmmakers visited Keyvan Mohtadi's family. The photos were posted on the Instagram page of his mother Farzaneh Amiri Jah. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='50705'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/AnishaAsd1989/status/1650923170310901760?s=20'> In a series of tweets, Anisha Asadollahi reported that her husband, Keyvan Mohtadi has been denied all medication for almost two months. Ms. Asadollahi pointed out the sabotage in delivering the medication despite providing the doctor's prescription in the past two months and said although the director of the Evin infirmaries has approved it, Mr. Mohtadi has not received his medication. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='51246'> <reference source='https://t.me/emtedadnet/77502'> In an interview with Emtedad, Keyvan Mohtadi's mother mentioned that Anisha Asadollahi, Keyvan Mohtadi's wife, has been arrested again and said her son is not in a good mental state. She said Keyvan Mohtadi's case has been referred to the supreme court and she hopes that the five-year sentence for her son will be overturned. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>