Khanjani: plainclothes agents stationed outside my home

Committee of Human Rights Reporters - In a suspicious move, plainclothes agents have stationed themselves outside Navid Khanjani’s home in Isfahan since July 9th. Navid Khanjani is a human rights activist with membership in the Committee of Human Rights Reporters and the Association Against Educational Discrimination. Plainclothes agents, who are reportedly armed, have exerted tremendous pressure on the Khanjani family in recent years.

Navid Khanjani was fined and sentenced to 12 years in prison by Judge Pir-Abassi in branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court. The order came at a time when the Judiciary was issuing heavy sentences to other human rights activists as well. Navid Khanjani is one of many students denied access to post-secondary education due to his activism in the field of civil rights.

Danial Owji, a Baha’i student also denied access to post-secondary education was kidnapped by plainclothes agents and was beaten to confess to having affiliations with Navid Khanjani. This inhumane move by plainclothes agents has caused serious concern regarding Navid Khanjani’s condition.

The presence of anonymous, armed plainclothes forces is against the Iranian law and endangers the security of citizens. In past incidents Navid Khanjani had raised the question: “Which individual or organization is responsible for the armed plainclothes agents?”