Internet calls for release of detained digital rights defender in anti-government protests in Iran



In Iran, which is governed by strict Islamic law, in September 2022,

the death of Mahsa Amini, who was detained by the disciplinary police for being inappropriate for a woman to wear a hijab around her head and body. , nationwide protests are erupting . Prominent digital rights advocate Amir Emad Mirmirani was also arrested in connection with the protests, and calls for his release are spreading on the Internet.

Stop the Persecution: Iranian Authorities Must Immediately Release Technologists and Digital Rights Defenders | Electronic Frontier Foundation
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/10/stop-persecution-iranian-authorities-must-immediately-release-technologists-and-0

In Iran, protests have occurred all over the country in the wake of Amini's mysterious death, and the government has mobilized security forces to crack down on protesters. A large number of minors died in the repression, and it is reported that the number of deaths exceeded 200 as of mid-October, but dissatisfaction with the government has been growing due to the deterioration of the economic situation and strict controls. The protests, which have spread mainly among young people, have not subsided .

Following a series of protests and crackdowns, digital rights advocacy group Electronic Frontier Foundation , in partnership with Access Now , ARTICLE19 , and Front Line Defenders , announced on October 14, 2022, “Stop the Persecution: Iranian Authorities With Technicians. Digital rights advocates should be released immediately.'

The article condemns the persecution, harassment and arrest of tech workers and digital rights advocates by the Iranian government and calls for their immediate and unconditional release. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Iranian government has restricted internet activity and information flow to control the populace, defending digital rights and criticizing internet restrictions and supporting protests. He is arresting engineers, network administrators, bloggers, etc.



Among them, the Electronic Frontier Foundation cites the October 5 arrest of Mirmirani, a prominent Iranian software engineer and digital rights advocate. Mr. Mirmirani is an expert in Python and blockchain, and is a person who distributes numerous podcasts appealing for freedom of expression.

According to Mr. Mirmirani's family, the authorities who visited Mr. Mirmirani's home on October 5 pushed the intercom and told him that 'a gas leak occurred', and when he opened the door, he was threatened with a stun gun and a gun and took Mr. Mirmirani away. He said. Authorities did not have a warrant, and the family claims there was no legal justification for the arrest. Mr. Mirmirani is housed in Evin Prison , which is known for housing many political prisoners.

Another tech expert, Aryan Eqbal, was also detained by authorities and allegedly physically assaulted. Mr. Eqbal's wife said Mr. Eqbal was only interested in 'the right to freely access the Internet' and had not expressed any other political claims, and that the authorities had no reason to justify his arrest. I testified.

'Many of these arrested technologists and digital rights advocates have voiced their opposition to Iran's tough user protection bill,' said the Electronic Frontier Foundation, urging Iran's authorities to stop internet restrictions and violent crackdowns. I strongly condemn it. “The Iranian government must immediately release the detained engineers and all those arrested for exercising their human rights and put an end to this violent crackdown on protests both online and offline. 'Iranian authorities must be subjected to an independent criminal investigation for committing serious crimes under international law and other serious human rights violations.'

Many users have received support from the thread appealing for Mirmirani's release built on the social news site Hacker News.
Tell HN: A hacker's life is in danger, your awareness may be life saving | Hacker News
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33484185

Also, on Reddit, an overseas bulletin board, there are posts appealing for the spread of names in order to increase the chances of survival of innocent people detained as political prisoners. This list also includes Mirmirani's name.

[Iran Protests] The list of life, detainees that we should not forget: : UnitedNations
https://www.reddit.com/r/UnitedNations/comments/yebv7u/iran_protests_the_list_of_life_detainees_that_we/

The names of the lists are as follows.

1: Arash Ramezani ... Anja bookstore writer and manager
2: Gholamreza Asghari ... retired teacher
3: Pirouz Nami ... a member of the teachers' union
4: Khabat Dehdar ... labor activist
5: Fatemeh Mashhadi Abbas ...... Dentist and professor at Beheshti University
6: Atrin Azarfar ...... Graphic artist
7: Ahmed Alizadeh ... retired teacher
8: Reza Moradkhani ...... Citizen living in Abdanan
9: Nilofar Fathi ...... Mathematics teacher and student at Mazandaran University
10: Ali Ghanbari ...... Mazandaran University Mechanical Engineering Student
11: Reza Hekmat ...... Mazandaran University Mechanical Engineering Student
12: Fateme Sepehari ...... Political activist
13: Hossein Ronaghi ...... journalist and activist
14: Nilufar Hamedi ...... media correspondent
15: Mehran Faridouni ...... Forensic expert
16: Amir Emad Mirmirani (Jadi) ...... Programmer
17: Armita Abbasi ...... Student
18: Abbas Daris ...... Father of 3 children
19: Nagin Aramesh ...... A person who graduated from the German department at the University of Tehran
20: Saeed Halychi ...... Writer and environmental activist

in Note, Posted by log1h_ik