Rasoul Bodaghi

Rasoul Bodaghi is from Kouhdasht in Lorestan province and a member of the Iranian teachers’ guild. He is a former member of Iran Human Rights Activists. He was arrested and convicted several times for his guild activism.

Rasoul Bodaghi has a B.a in education management. He has served as a high school teacher for almost 30 years. He was fired by the Education Ministry in 2019 and his salary was cut off. <symbol-timeline></symbol-timeline>

• <coverage-outsourcing id='1421'> Upon being summoned to the Islamshahr Education Ministry Office he was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1422'> It was reported that he refused to be present in court without his attorney </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1427'> He was tied to a pole and severely beaten due to his complaints about the harsh conditions in Rajaee Shahr Prison and the complications in his situation to prison authorities </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1423'> His trial was held </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1424'> He was sentenced to six years in prison and five years ban on social activity by Judge Salavati on the charges of "Assembly and collusion against national security and Propaganda against the system" </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1425'> His sentence was upheld in Appeals Court </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1428'> He was transferred from Ward 4 to Ward 12 of Rajaee Shahr Prison (Security Ward) </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1430'> He began a hunger strike in solidarity with Fakhri Mohtashamipour </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1431'> He and a number of other inmates began a hunger strike in May 2011. The Head of Gohar Dasht Prison asked him to end his hunger strike and upon Bodaghi's refusal, he issued an order to deprive the defendant of water and tea as well. The defendant lost consciousness and was transferred to the Medical Ward as a result of this order </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1432'> He was transferred to solitary confinement for eight days before being returned to the Public Ward </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1433'> His mother was hospitalized after hearing of his hunger strike and passed away shortly after </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1435'> It was reported that his absence from work in the Ministry of Education was deemed unjustified and he was fired from his position </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1429'> It was reported that he is under pressure from Rajaee Shahr Prison authorities and that he has been repeatedly threatened with physical violence </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1426'> It was reported that despite his family posting bail, he is still in prison </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='13283'> After the assault on Ward 350 (The Black Friday of Ward 350), Rassoul Badaghi, Hamidreza Borhani, Mohammad Bannazadeh Amirkhizi, Khaled Hardani, Afshin Heiratian, Batirshah Mohammadof, Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, Saleh Kohandel, Saeed Massouri, Mohammad Ali Mansouri, Missagh Yazdannejad, and Nasseh Yousefi went on hunger strike in support of Ward 350 prisoners and in sympathy with their families </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7245'> HRANA reported that Saeid Masouri, Saleh Kohandel, Naseh Yousefi, Khaled Hardani, Mohammadali Mansouri, Mohammad Banazadeh Amirkhaziri, Hamidreza Borhani, Rasoul Bodaghi and Misagh Yazdannezhad began hunger strikes in protest of the conditions in the prison </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7242'> Following the transfer of Rasoul Bodaghi and Shahrokh Zamani to solitary confinement due to their complaints regarding the shuttering of the library in Ward 12 and subsequent hunger strike, Saeid Masouri, Saleh Kohandel, Naseh Yousefi, Khaled Hardani, Mohammadali Mansouri, Mohammad Banazadeh Amirkhaziri, Hamidreza Borhani, and Misagh Yazdannezhad began hunger strikes </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1434'> It was reported that he has a new case against him based on a complaint by Mardani, the Head of Rajaee Shahr Prison </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1436'> His trial was held in Branch 28 of Tehran's Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Moghiseh . He was charged with "Disrupting national security". Rasoul Bodaghi presented his defense to the court. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='1996'> Rasoul Bodaghi was sentenced to three years of added time in prison by Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court upon serving his initial six-year sentence. He spent the last few months of his initial sentence in Ward 2 A's lock-up </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='5551'> It was reported that his three year sentence was upheld by Appeals Court. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='5819'> He was released from prison at the end of his sentence </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7136'> After barring him from visiting with Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroudi in the hospital, security forces subjected the defendant to assault. His charge in this case was later stated as "insulting the Supreme Leader", a charge which he vehemently denied. According to some outlets this assault was premeditated </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7354'> According to the "Laborers and Teachers Rights" organization, he was summoned to Branch 26 of Revolutionary Court as a defendant. The summons did not state the charges against him </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7509'> The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that despite his release from prison and his discontinuing his union activity he continues to be hassled by security organizations. According to this report he has announced that he will not be participating in the trial set in Branch 26 of Revolutionary Court, since his charges are not clear and the summons was not sealed. According to an informed source the defendant has stated: > This summons is illegal and could have been sent by security organizations in order to hassle and intimidate </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7137'> According to a telephone summons- which he called illegal and requested a written summons- he was to present himself in Branch 1033 of Ghodousi Court to address the charge of "insulting the Supreme Leader" </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='8166'> According to the "Laborers and Teachers Rights" organization, the defendant was exonerated of the "insulting the Supreme Leader" charge due to a lack of sufficient evidence in Branch 26 of Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Ahmadzadeh </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='17409'> The Teachers’ and Workers’ Rights website reported that Rasoul Bodaghi was released from the Great Tehran Penitentiary. He was sentenced to four years incarceration for the charge of “disobedience towards officers”, but he was freed after two months. Mr. Bodaghi, in an interview that he gave after his release, names the prison, “desert hell”. He says that the official capacity of Fashafouyeh (Great Tehran Penitentiary) is 15 thousand people, but it has twice that many prisoners, in room 12 in the quarantine, 20 to 30 individuals were incarcerated, “the sanitation was a joke”, because it had only one hour of cold water, lice and bedbugs are “regular inhabitants” of the rooms, those suffering from HIV or Hepatitis, have not been separated from the rest as is stipulated in the prison regulations, prisoners are taken to the infirmary, only when they can no longer stand, when, he, himself, told the prison guard that he need to go to the infirmary for a bad sore throat, the guard had laughed at him, cigarettes and drugs were rampant and continuously used in the rooms, monitors are chosen among the prisoners with “dangerous” charges, in exchange for special treatment, like using the toilets and showers, they beat the other prisoners, in the year when Mr. Bodaghi was imprisoned there, only one bathroom existed for 170 prisoners, “even the chief warden of the prison would address all the prisoners with vulgar curses, through the loudspeakers”, and the beating of prisoner was a regular occurrence </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='19766'> According to ILNA, a group of civil rights activist began a campaign and wrote a letter to Hassan Rouhani, asking for the return of Rasoul Bodaghi to teaching in accordance with Article 28 of the Constitution </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='22061'> He was arrested during the country-wide teachers’ protests. He was released a few days later. He went through the same thing in 2019. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='37962'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-32905/'> He was violently arrested by the Information Ministry agents and transferred to detention ward 209 of Evin Prison. The agents searched his home and confiscated Rasoul Bodaghi and his wife’s communication devices. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='38025'> <reference source='https://t.me/ettehad/95431'> Six Swedish organizations, unions, labor, and teachers’ syndicates reacted to the arrest of teachers’ guild activists in Iran. The statement reads: “Instead of responding to the constant and widespread teachers’ protests in Iran, the Islamic Republic naively believes that by arresting hero teachers like Mr. Abdi and Mr. Bodaghi these protests will end. It is ignorant to the fact that the teachers’ demands and their fight have become so widespread that arresting the pioneers of this struggle will only anger teachers more and make them more committed to the path they have chosen.” </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='38024'> <reference source='https://t.me/ettehad/95631'> He was released on bail. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='38968'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/Ramin1safarnia/status/1515303391919964160'> His prison and complementary sentences were communicated to his attorney. The 26th branch of the revolutionary court of Tehran presided by Judge Iman Afshari sentenced him to four years in prison on the charge of assembly and collusion with intent to act against national security and one year in prison for propaganda against the state. Mr. Bodaghi was also banned from leaving the country and living in Tehran province and its neighboring provinces for two years. After applying article 134 of the IPC, four years of his prison sentence is enforceable. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='39263'> <reference source='https://t.me/kashowra/9695'> According to a teachers’ union report, Ali Akbar Baghani, Rasoul Bodaghi, Mohammad Habibi, and Jafar Ebrahimi were arrested. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='39390'> 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. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='39394'> 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='39422'> <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='39739'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/Ramin1safarnia/status/1531907811545866242?s=20&t=TMM9p7XbgZ1thgIYDdtBOw'> Mr. Bodaghi’s attorney, Ramin Safarnia reported that the initial sentence of Mr. Bodaghi has been confirmed verbatim by the 36th branch of the appeal court. Mr. Bodaghi was sentenced to four years in prison on the charge of assembly and collusion with intent to act against national security and one year in prison for propaganda against the state. Mr. Bodaghi was also banned from leaving the country and living in Tehran province and its neighboring provinces for two years. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='39765'> <reference source='https://t.me/kashowra/11022'> He was transferred from Information Ministry detention ward 209 of Evin Prison to the general population ward, possibly to serve his sentence for the previous case. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40111'> <reference source='https://t.me/kashowra/11299'> The Coordinating Council of Teachers Trade Unions reported that Jafar Ebrahimi, Mohammad Habibi, and Rasoul Bodaghi were moved to solitary confinements in ward 240 of Evin Prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40542'> <reference source='https://t.me/kashowra/11594'> The Telegram channel of the Coordinating Council of Teachers Trade Unions reported that Rasoul Bodaghi, Mohammad Habibi, and Jafar Ebrahimi were denied family visitation and phone calls. They are still held in solitary confinements. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40328'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahedsyndica/4718'> A group of families of the arrested labor activists 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='40553'> <reference source='https://t.me/kashowra/11752'> After the arrival of the families of Reza Shahabi, Hassan Saeedi, Jafar Ebrahimi, Mohammad Habibi, Rasoul Bodaghi, Eskandar Lotfi, Shaban Mohammadi, Masoud Nik’khah, Anisha Asadollahi, and Keyvan Mohtadi at the prison for visitation, they were told that these individuals have been denied visitation by the direct order of the case investigator. Quoting Samaneh Abedini, Jafar Ebrahimi’s wife, the Telegram channel of the Coordinating Council of Teachers Trade Unions reported that the case investigator had told the families the day before that in case of denied visitation, they will be informed by phone. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40547'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahedsyndica/4747'> The confederation of trade unions in Spain released a statement announcing that it has written several letters of protest to the leader of Iran, the judiciary, and the Islamic Republic’s permanent mission at the UN, it has demanded the immediate and unconditional drop of all charges against the incarcerated union activists and teachers and upholding their rights to assembly, gathering, free speech, guaranteed safety and security of the prisoners and their families. The confederation emphasized that if these demands are not met it will continue to take necessary actions to that end. The letters were written at the request of the families of Reza Shahabi, Hassan Saeedi, Jafar Ebrahimi, Anisha Asadollahi, Rasoul Bodaghi, and Mohammad Habibi, Eskandar Lotfi, Shaban Mohammadi, Keyvan Mohtadi, and Masoud Nikkhah. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40562'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/khadijepakzmir/status/1545830417101737985?s=20&t=MjhBcnQJLbcSeWlMe8Ugjw'> Mohammad Habibi’s wife, Khadijeh Pakzamir tweeted that the families of the incarcerated labor activists and teachers have visited the Evin prosecutor’s office several times but have not received a clear answer about why the prisoners are denied visitation and phone calls. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40566'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/khadijepakzmir/status/1546415229390786562?s=20&t=zya1n0dTkTwo59KQIfNL0g'> Mr. Habibi’s wife Khadijeh Pakzamir tweeted that the case investigator Mahmoud Hadjmoradi informed them that the prisoners are being denied visitation by the order of the judicial magistrate. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40764'> <reference source='https://iranhr.net/fa/articles/5358/'> A source told Iran Human Rights Organization that after 50 days, Mr. Bodaghi is still being held in solitary confinement in ward 240 of Evin Prison without access to an attorney or family visitation. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='42974'> <reference source='https://t.me/kashowra/13376'> According to the Coordinating Council of Educators' Organizations, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Iman Afshari sentenced him to four years and six months in prison for the charge of assembly and collusion, and for one year in prison for the charge of propaganda against the system. The report stated that as a supplementary punishment, he was sentenced to a two-year ban on any trade union activities, membership in trade unions, and a ban on leaving the country. By applying Article 134 of the Criminal Code, four years and six months of imprisonment and supplementary punishments can be enforced. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='48212'> <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='46886'> <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='57080'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2023/hranews/a-42748/'> According to HRANA, he is in Evin prison without observing the principle of segregation of crimes. In this report, it is stated that the transfer of a number of prisoners accused of financial crimes to Ward 4 of Evin Prison has caused overcrowding of this ward and the emergence of conflicts between prisoners. In this report, referring to the increase in the cost of telephone tariffs by the Evin prison contract company and the difficulty of making phone calls by prisoners, a source is quoted as saying: > When making phone calls to prisoners, their voices were hardly heard and the connection was constantly being disconnected. In addition, the lack of phone booths has caused long queues in front of these booths. According to the HRANA report, this prisoner, together with a number of other prisoners, refused to receive food since last night in protest against the violation of the principle of separation of crimes and the indifference of the prison warden. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='58985'> <reference source='https://t.me/kashowra/18618'> According to the Coordinating Council of Educators' Union Organizations, Attorney Ramin Safarnia has announced to Mr. Bodaghi's family that his retrial has been accepted in the 32nd branch of the Supreme Court. According to this lawyer, Mr. Bodaghi can be released on bail after the appointment of a court of the same rank. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>