Agents Raided Aso Rostami’s Work Place

HRANA News Agency – On March 15, three plainclothes officers went to the workplace of civil and children’s rights activist, Aso Rostami threatening the manager of the non-state training center, and closed his classes without any warrant.

An informed source told HRANA’s reporter: “on Sunday three plainclothes officers went to the workplace of Aso Rostami where is a private education center. First by a very harsh tone they threatened to close his class but by his resistance they went to the manager and said if Rostami’s classes would continue in that place, he was going to pay for what he did.”

The source added: “Mr. Rostami in the training center, was teaching translation and editing texts and political documents which was dedicated to the interests of the children labour. This classes were closed illegally by the visit and threatening, intimidation and panic among the students by plainclothes police.”

It should be noted, civil rights activist Aso Rostami had been arrested along with several other civil society activists on October 8, 2015 after holding a rally in front of UN office in support of Kobani, and after interrogation and being held in the solitary confinement was transferred to ward 8 of Evin prison.

Due to his peaceful civic activism, on the charges of propaganda against the regime, assembly and collusion against the national security and insulting the supreme leader he was sentenced to 7 years in prison. His trial was held along with 3 other civil society activists in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Moghiseh and eventually these people were sentenced to a total of 38 years in prison.

Activities in virtual networks and publishing critical articles about the human rights situation and executions in Iran, empathy and solidarity with the families of political prisoners and families of prisoners sentenced to death for participating in a rally in defense of Kobani, sympathy for the families of victims of 2009 incidents and connection with human rights activists were the applicable charges that had been proposed against the activist.

Aso Rostami’s case is now in Branch 36 of the Appeals Court and in final stage awaiting a ruling. The children’s rights activist was released after 16 months in prison on February 3, accordingly until issuance and execution of the sentence he would be free on the bail.