Mashad Student Activist Reza Lotfi Arrested

A student source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Mashad Azad University student and human rights activist Reza Lotfi was violently abducted from his home by plainclothes forces last night. During the late hours of last night, several plainclothes forces stormed his home and scuffled with Lotfi’s family members, transferring him to an unknown location.

The men, who had an arrest warrant from the Tehran Judiciary, refused to show their identity cards to Lotfi. Reza Lotfi’s personal items such as his computer, his cell phone and those of his family members’ were among the items the officers took with them.

Mashad Ministry of Intelligence’s public information organization and Khorasan Razavi Province’s Police have disavowed knowledge about his arrest and no security organization has thus far taken responsibility for his arrest to answer questions. Reza Lotfi, a Mashad Azad University student and human rights activis,t was previously arrested and imprisoned for 20 days by the Mashad Ministry of Intelligence Office and his case is currently under review for the charge of “creating public anxiety” at a Mashad court. After three court sessions, it was expected that he would be acquitted of the charges. After his prior arrest and following threats and intimidation by security forces who put repeated pressure on his family, Reza Lotfi had suspended all his human rights, political, and social activities.