Hashem Khastar (Persian: هاشم خواستار; born June 2, 1953) is a former teacher at the Agriculture Technical High School in Mashhad in northeastern Iran, and an agricultural engineer and the Head of the Mashhad Teachers Union.[1]
Hashem Khastar | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 2, 1953 |
| Known for | Head of the Mashhad Teachers Union |
Background
editHe has been detained several times for defending teachers' rights and participating in rally protests of teachers and was imprisoned from 2009 to 2011 in Mashhad's notorious Vakilabad Prison.[2]
In a letter he said that "the root of the corruption and all the problems, was Ali Khamenei [leader of the Islamic Republic]", and that he had to be held accountable.[2]
Khastar had previously been detained in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. Despite being threatened by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence on several occasion he had refused to cease his activities.[3]
On October 23, 2018, he disappeared in the city of Mashhad, and was being detained by the Islamic Republic's Intelligence Ministry at a psychiatric hospital, his wife disclosed in an interview.[4][3] Hashem Khastar was released a few hours after being taken into custody on Monday, November 5, 2018.[5]
References
edit- ^ Lipin, Michael; Alavi, Shahed (24 October 2018). "Another Activist Detained in Iran's Crackdown on Teachers Unions". Voice of America News on Iran.
- ^ a b "Missing Teacher And Regime Critic Held At Psychiatric Facility". Radio Farda. 26 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Iran activist abducted by intelligence agents in Mashhad". Iran News Wire. 24 October 2018.
- ^ "Iran Authorities Won't Explain Why Teachers' Rights Activist is Being Held Incommunicado in Mental Hospital". Center for Human Rights in Iran. 26 October 2018.
- ^ "Hashem Khastar's Supporters Released from Custody". Hrana News Agency. 2018-11-07. Retrieved 2019-05-18.
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