Eskandar Lotfi

Eskandar (Souran) Lotfi is the inspector for the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Union. He has been arrested for his trade union activities several times.

<coverage-outsourcing id='29092'> He was summoned to the prosecutor’s office after the teachers’ protest. He was later accused of disseminating lies with the intent to agitate public opinion and propaganda against the state. The revolutionary court eventually cleared him of the charge of propaganda against the state. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='29093'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/37mEg8j'> The public court of Sanandaj sentenced Eskandar Lotfi to two years in prison for “disseminating lies with intent to agitate public opinion”. His attorney told ILNA: “To prove this accusation there needs to be a plaintiff, but no complaint has been filed. On top of that, the instances of crime were not committed by my client and it is based on content that others sent to him.” </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39378'> <reference source='https://t.me/kashowra/10004'> Eskandar Lotfi and Masoud Nikkhah were arrested in Marivan. They went on hunger strike from the moment of their arrest. According to Iran Human Rights Organization, Mr. Lotfi was transferred to Shahramfar detention center in Sanandaj. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39379'> <reference source='https://t.me/kashowra/10082'> The teachers’ guild of Kurdistan-Marivan called for a gathering in protest to the oppression of teachers and the illegal arrest of Eskandar Lotfi and Masoud Nikkhah and announced that there with be a sit-in at schools on Sunday, 8/5/2022, and one in front of the Education Ministry office on Monday, 9/5/2022. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39399'> <reference source='https://t.me/kasenfi/21354'> Teachers in Marivan county had a public gathering in support of the arrested teachers and protest to the continued detainment and indecision in the cases of Eskandar Lotfi and Masoud Nikkhah. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39415'> <reference source='https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/fa/case/arbitrary-detention-eskandar-lotfi-2-other-members-itta-marivan-branch'> Front Line Defenders expressed concern about the arbitrary arrests of Shaban Mohammadi, Eskandar Lotfi, and Masoud Nikkhah and demanded their immediate and unconditional release. The human rights organization asked Iranian officials to guarantee that the two will have access to an attorney and necessary medication. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='40710'> <reference source='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d2kmjna7uo'> The Islamic Republic’s state TV aired the video of the arrest of Cecile Kohler and Chuck Paris, blaming them for the teachers’ protests across the country. In the report, Cecile Kohler and Chuck Paris were accused of organizing “chaos and disorder” and claimed a connection between the two and several activist teachers, namely Eskandar Lotfi, Masoud Nikkhah, Shaaban Mohammadi, and Rasoul Badaghi. The report also points to the connection of Cecile Kohler and Chuck Paris with Reza Shahabi and Anisha Asadollahi. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39384'> <reference source='https://t.me/kashowra/10715'> The Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association released a statement condemning the plot created by the state TV's political program “20:30” and the dependent media to accuse the arrested teachers. The statement reads: “Do not embarrass yourselves more with these programs. The teachers’ movement in the past year with its demands for better life and dignity will not be silenced by such perverted! Programs, but it will fuel the fire of their wrath.” </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39382'> <reference source='https://t.me/kasenfi/21621'> Families of the arrested teachers Eskandar Lotfi, Shaban Mohammadi, Masoud Nikkhah, and Rasoul Bodaghi released an open letter demanding a stop to the security pressures on these union activists and the attempts to frame them. Referring to the news published by government media and the accusations against these activists, they wrote: “This is not the first time these media outlets put out such controversial headlines and make noise and fuss over baseless reports, so there is no need for any explanation.” The families declared that they have the right to legally retaliate against all those responsible for such biased reports and will bring lawsuits against all those involved. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39396'> According to IPA, Eskandar Lotfi, Masoud Nikkhah, Shaban Mohammadi, Rasoul Bodaghi, Jafar Ebrahimi, and Mohammad Habibi are still being detained. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39424'> <reference source='https://t.me/kanoon_nevisandegane_iran/848'> The Iranian Authors Association released a statement condemning the Ministry of Information for framing the activists, stating: “It is clear to everyone that these types of tricks have always been used to deceive the public opinion, preparing the 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='39522'> <reference source='https://t.me/kurdpaagency/21561'> Kurdpa reported that Eskandar Lotfi has not had any contact with the outside for over two weeks. The IRGC is holding him in solitary, and he is under pressure and interrogation. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39511'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2022/hranews/a-34965/?tg_rhash=22a41dd9689763'> HRANA reported that in recent days several political prisoners have gone on hunger strike. The report says due to the continued detainment of Eskandar Lotfi in solitary at a security organization’s detention center in Sanandaj and his restricted contact with outside, there is reliable information about his hunger strike and current condition. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39662'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3x18Zb5'> Eskandar Lotfi began his dry hunger strike in protest to his extended illegal detainment and pressure for fake confession. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39661'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3t13Jll'> In protest of the extended arrest of Eskandar Lotfi, Shaban Mohammadi, and Masoud Nikkhah and the security narrative created by the state TV, teachers in Marivan organized a gathering in front of the Marivan courthouse. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39729'> <reference source='https://t.me/kurdpaagency/21692'> Teachers in Sanandaj gathered in front of the Education Ministry office for Kurdistan province in protest of the illegal arrests of their colleagues. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39732'> <reference source='https://t.me/kurdpaagency/21726'> On the sixth day of Eskandar Lotfi’s hunger strike, a group of teachers went on hunger strike in his support. The teachers demanded an end to the attempts to frame the teachers and the release of their colleagues. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39774'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3xr7EdW'> Kurdpa reported that Eskandar Lotfi has transitioned to a wet hunger strike. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39848'> <reference source='https://iranhr.net/fa/articles/5349/'> He was transferred to ward 2-Alef of Evin Prison in Tehran. According to Iran Human Rights Organization, he was held in solitary confinement during his time in Sharhamfar detention center in Sanandaj. The source added that his case was sent from Marivan to the second branch of investigation at the prosecutor’s office of Tehran’s 33rd district (Moghaddas prosecutor’s office, Evin Prison). </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39954'> An IPA source said Eskandar Lotfi was moved to a security ward of Evin Prison and he has ended his hunger strike a few days ago. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='40537'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3uyj1Pi'> He had his first family visitation since his arrest. Kurdpa reported that the security agents forced Mr. Lotfi and his family to speak Persian during the visit. According to the report, Eskandar Lotfi told his family that the focus of his interrogations was Cecile Kohler and Chuck Paris, two arrested teachers from France. According to one source, Mr. Eskandari suffers from diabetes and the prison guards did not allow his family to deliver his medicine. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='40536'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2022/hranews/a-35391/'> According to HRANA’s sources, Eskandar Lotfi is held in solitary confinement at ward 2-Alef of Evin Prison. He has not been indicted and his attorney Saleh Nikbakht has been denied access to the case and his client. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='40330'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahedsyndica/4718'> 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='40538'> <reference source='https://iranhr.net/fa/articles/5349/'> According to Iran Human Rights Organization, Mr. Lotfi was moved from ward 2-Alef initially to quarantine and later to ward 209 of Evin Prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='40539'> <reference source='https://www.iranhr.net/fa/articles/5329/'> His attorney Saleh Nikbakht told Iran Human Rights Organization that agents of IRGC intelligence have verbally told Mr. Lotfi’s family that he is accused of propaganda against the state. He explained that none of his clients have been officially arraigned. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='40884'> <reference source='https://www.radiofarda.com/a/iran-jafarebrahimi/31960589.html'> Jafar Ebrahimi had a visit with his wife in the presence of the security forces. His wife Samaneh Abedini told Radio Farda that the families of Eskandar Lotfi, Shaban Mohammadi, and Masoud Nikkhah are under increasing pressure and have been summoned by the Information Ministry office of Kurdistan province. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='48214'> <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>