The arrest occurred at 8 a.m. following a summons by phone from the IntelligenceDeportment of Rasht, the capital of Gilan Province. Tavana, originally from Fouman, was immediately transferred to the detention center of the Intelligence Department, and since then, no further information about her or the reasons for her arrest has been available.
Mahsa Basir Tavana is not new to the Iranian authorities’ scrutiny. This arrest marks the second instance of her being detained. Previously, she was arrested in Fouman on August 17, 2023, while accompanying her sick mother in a hospital. She was later released on bail. However, the recent arrest comes under more dire circumstances, as it is closely linked to her family’s history in the ongoing political unrest in Iran.
The backdrop of Tavana’s arrest is both tragic and politically charged. She is the sister of Mehran Basir Tavana, 29, who was shot and killed by security forces during protests in Some’e Sara on November 16, 2022. His death was part of the larger Iran protests, a series of uprisings that have seen significant government pushback.
The Iranian clerical regime’s tactic of arresting relatives of protesters, especially around the anniversaries of their deaths, is seen as an attempt to suppress memorial ceremonies and further dissent. Tavana’s arrest, close to the first anniversary of her brother’s death, fits this pattern and raises concerns about the regime’s increasing crackdown on dissent.
Parallel to Tavana’s situation is the case of Mitra Javadi, a 19-year-old from Shahin Dezh in West Azerbaijan Province. Javadi was arrested sixteen days ago, on October 27, 2023, and taken to an undisclosed location. Her arrest has raised alarms due to the lack of information about her whereabouts and well-being.
Javadi’s history with the Iranian authorities includes a previous arrest on November 19, 2022, during the Iran uprising. She was detained for 19 days in a Department of Intelligence detention center in Urmia and later released on bail. The 1st Branch of the General and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Shahin Dezh charged her with “provoking people and disrupting public security,” and “disseminating propaganda in favor of anti-government groups.”
These cases highlight a disturbing trend in Iran’s approach to handling dissent and political unrest. The detentions of Tavana and Javadi underscore the increasing concerns for human rights and freedom of expression in Iran, especially as the anniversaries of last year’s protests approach.
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