Iranian authorities have arrested several activists on baseless accusations amid labor union strikes and ongoing protests against rising prices, Human Rights Watch said on Friday.
According to the organization, those arrested include a prominent sociologist and four labor rights defenders.
Iran accused the detained activists of having contact with suspicious foreign actors, without providing any evidence.
On May 11, the Intelligence Ministry issued a statement saying that it had arrested two European citizens who it said met with teachers’ unions activists and “intended to abuse the demands of unions and other groups in society.”
“The arrests of prominent members of civil society in Iran on baseless accusations of malicious foreign interference is another desperate attempt to silence support for growing popular social movements in the country,” said Tara Sepehri Far, senior Iran researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Instead of looking to civil society for help in understanding and responding to social problems, Iran’s government treats them as an inherent threat.”
Iran is facing a severe financial crisis due to mismanagement, high rate of corruption and inflation. Earlier this month, the government announced an increase in the prices of cooking oil, chiken, egg, and bread.
Numerous reports online suggest that a number of protesters have been killed by security forces and hundreds arrested, among the detainees are under-aged.
