Iran: 889 Arrested in 22 Cities During Fire Festival

The mullahs’ anti-human regime resorted to widespread arrests across Iran to confront the popular uprisings and protests on Fire Festival celebration (March 13th). According to repressive police officials, 889 people were arrested in only 22 cities of the country.

According to the statements or interviews of police chiefs, 436 people in Tehran, 90 in Qom, 90 in Mashhad, 50 in Semnan, 40 in Arak, 38 in Robat Karim, 22 in Gachsaran, 18 in Langerud, 17 in Borujerd, 14 in Birjand, 14 in Orumieh, were arrested. These figures do not include the number of detainees in other cities, as well as the arrests by other suppressive organs such as the Ministry of Intelligence, the Revolutionary Guards, IRGC Intelligence, Basijis, and plainclothes agents.

Col. Darvishi, deputy commander of Qom province police said on March 14: “90 disturbers of order and security were arrested in Qom last night. These people caused traffic jams and horror by burning tires and doing dangerous acts.”

According to the State Radio and Television, the police commander of Robat Karim announced the arrest and referral of the 38 cases of public order disturbance in Chaharshanbeh Souri (Fire Festival) to the prosecutor’s office, and announced that 23 vehicles and 9 motorbikes were seized on that same day.

IRNA news agency, quoting the Police in the Markazi Province (Arak), wrote on March 14 that the night before 40 people were arrested for committing crimes and hampering the citizens’ comfort, and were handed over to the judicial authorities for legal action.

The same news agency, quoting the deputy commander of the South Khorasan Police in Birjand, wrote: 14 delinquents were arrested in the province last night during the Fire Festival and were handed over to the judicial authorities.

Gachsaran police chief said 14 people were arrested during Fire Festival and their cases were sent to the judicial authorities.

Iranian Resistance calls on all Iranians to protest against the mass arrests and repressive measures of the mullahs’ regime, and to support the arrestees. It urges all international human rights organizations to take immediate action for the release of the prisoners of the uprising and especially those arrested on Fire Festival. The religious dictatorship in Iran is at its final stage, and the political and economic interactions with this regime, which is in power only with suppression, torture, execution, and export of terrorism and warfare interventions in the region, have no legitimacy and should be stopped.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran