On October 11, 2023, Iranian security forces arrested Naser Sargaran, a blind lawyer, university lecturer, and activist for disabled people’s rights. During the arrest, the security forces raided his family’s home.

Iranian security forces did not provide a warrant or explanation of arrest. They transported Sargaran to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention center in Sanandaj, the capital of the Kurdistan province. Following his arrest, Sargaran was denied access to legal counsel and family visits. He was able to speak to his family once, and informed them that he was in a detention center in Sanandaj.

At the time of this report in September 2024, public information regarding the reasons for Sargaran’s arrest and any specific charges against him are unavailable.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the arbitrary imprisonment and prosecution of a scholar in apparent retaliation for the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and assembly—conduct that is expressly protected by international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Islamic Republic of Iran is a party. In addition to the harm to the immediate victim, such incidents have a chilling effect on academic freedom and undermine democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://hana-hr.org/content/20231018-the-arrest-of-naser-sargaran-a-lawyer-and-university-lecturer-by-the-security-forces-in-saqqez
https://iranhumanrights.org/2023/10/blind-human-rights-lawyer-disappears-in-iran/
https://protect-lawyers.org/en/item/nasser-sargaran-2/#:~:text=Nasser%20Sargaran%2C%20a%20prominent%20human%20rights%20lawyer,home%20without%20providing%20any%20legal%20documentation%20and
https://kurdistanhumanrights.org/en/news/2023/10/18/security-forces-arrest-disability-rights-activist-lawyer-in-saqqez/