She was initially detained for protesting against chemical attacks on schools in her hometown in Fars Province, southern Iran. Alongside her, her father, Ebrahim Amiri, was also apprehended by security services.
Two other protesters, Erfaneh Honar, 19, and Setayesh Darougheh, 16, were also initially detained but have since been released. The Amiris were allegedly tortured into confessing false allegations of maintaining ties with foreign media and involvement in the student poisonings.
The confessions, believed to have been extracted under duress, were aired on state TV, accompanied by edited videos and ambiguous information. Setayesh Darugheh, Erfaneh Honar, and another man, Alireza Bagheri, were also implicated in these broadcasted confessions.
The alleged chemical attacks on schools across Iran, predominantly girls’ schools, commenced on November 30, 2022. These organized attacks have targeted over 700 schools across more than 160 cities. Reports from the Health Ministry, MPs, and regime officials suggest the number of affected students ranges from 5,000 to 13,000, a number that has swelled since the initial reports in February and early March. Tragically, a minimum of five children have lost their lives thus far.
May 2 – Baneh, western #Iran
Aftermath of regime operatives launching a chemical gas attack targeting the all-girls Saleh Ali-Mohammadi Elementary School. A number of the students were transferred to a hospital.#IranChemicalAttacks pic.twitter.com/F7L2Ne7JZ6— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 2, 2023
The clerical regime attributed these attacks to foreign enemies, but after five months of silence, the Ministry of Intelligence issued a statement on April 28, 2023, denying the distribution of toxic substances in any schools. It instead claimed that non-toxic agents causing panic were accidentally or intentionally used.
The Ministry of Intelligence denounced the notion of a toxic substance distribution network within the country. It targeted the role of cyberspace networks, both domestic and foreign, in creating panic and spreading rumors.
The Ministry then pledged to pursue and penalize those who propagate such rumors, stating, “The system’s definite intention is to deal seriously and without hesitation with those who spread rumors and create panic.” It also vowed to preserve its right to legally prosecute individuals or groups who baselessly accuse the system or its followers along with the enemies of the Iranian nation. Meanwhile, the fate of Setayesh Amiri and her father remains uncertain as they continue to languish in detention without trial.
MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu
