Mohammad Habibi
Age:
Activities/Rights: Iranian Teachers’ Trade Union
Status: Released on bail
Judicial status: New case pending
Violations: Arbitrary arrest and detention, lack of due process, unfair trial, denial of medical care, no access to lawyer
Mohammad Habibi is a teacher and a member of the Iranian Teachers’ Trade Union who was first arrested in March 2018 when he was beaten and pepper-sprayed in front of his students outside the school he taught at. He was released on bail a few days later, but was re- arrested on 10 May 2018, during a peaceful union rally. In August 2018, he was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison for “conspiracy against national security” with his membership of the Teachers’ Union used as an example, “propaganda against the system” with articles and educational and union notes being used as examples, and 74 lashes for “disturbing public order for participating in trade union rally. Mohammad’s sentence was upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals in late December 2018. While behind bars, he was fired from his job by the Ministry of Education. Mohammad was released from prison on 10 November 2020 after being included in the amnesty list. He was arrested along with other union members on 30 April 2022 and held in solitary confinement for more than 50 days. He was tried on 13 October 2022 and sentenced to three years and seven months for charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” and a year for “propaganda against the system” on 23 October by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.
Mohammad was released from prison on 8 February 2023 after being included in the general amnesty list. However, he was violently rearrested when security forces raided his home on 5 April and took him to Evin Prison. On 28 April, a number of activists were arrested while visiting Mohammad’s family as a show of solidarity in Tehran. He was indicted and his case sent to Shahriar Revolutionary Court before being released on bail on 21 May.