In the ongoing Violations of Expression and Communications Rights in Iran, five Bloggers and cyberactivists moderators of Telegram Groups were arrested in Mahabaad and Sanadaj. At the same time, a top judiciary official warned against continuous opposition activities on social media while only weeks remains to Iran’s presidential elections.
Human Rights sources reported the arrest of Bijan Eivary, Mostafa Sharifi and Mehdi Badzahr on Sunday April 2, in the city of Sanandaj, while Hiva Kiyaei (Dastan) and Mehdi Salahi were arrested at the same day in the city of Mahaabad.
Homes and personal belongings of these cyber and civil activists have been searched, and confiscated.
The activists are moderators of Telegram Groups called “Faryad-e Khamoosh” (Silent Scream) and “Azadi-ye Aghideh” (Freedom Belief).
There are no updates on the exact reasons of detention, where they’re being kept, and their fate, so far.
Noteworthy; before this, moderators of other telegram channels too, were arrested and detained by ministry of intelligence and the Guardians of Islamic Revolution, their channels shut down, and their whereabouts and fate, still not known.
A top IRI judiciary official announced the arrest of dozens of moderators or members of telegram channels with details of the arrests, and said their allegations are “spreading of lies, disturbing public order, spreading fear among folks, proliferation of counter cultural themes, disturbing public opinion on immoral publications and unconventional and illegal advertising within public domain” and said these cases are undergoing due judicial procedures.
Top Judiciary Official Warns
According Iran’s official sources yesterday, Prosecutor General Mohamad Jafar Montazery announced measures of monitoring over online activities during election campaigns; he said violators would be dealt with.
Mohamad Jafar Montazery asserted the need for “maintaining election sphere security” during meeting with country’s judges and judiciary officials, and announced monitoring of cyber activities: “I authorize the deputy attorney general and all attorneys in the country to monitor internet activities every minutes and if they come upon a violation, deal with it directly according to the relevant laws”.
He had announced previously: “The Judiciary filters between 16000 to 20000 of social media telegram channels per week, and it’s still not enough; to control telegram, a national channel must be established”.
