Mother Of Protesting Student Arrested In Iran’s Shahinshahr

An informed source told Iran International that the IRGC intelligence forces on Monday raided the house of Bita Shafiei Rad in Esfahan (Isfahan) to arrest her without a warrant, but as she was not home, they arrested her mother Maryam Abbasi Nikou.

Eight IRGC officers were involved, including two women who damaged goods in the home and confiscated the father's cell phone.

Abbasi Nikou, 42, has not contacted her family since her arrest, and the family is unaware of her condition and whereabouts.

Bita Shafiei Rad was arrested and temporarily released during a student gathering in April to protest chemical attacks on schools.

In the video message she published after her release, Bita said she is "seeking Iran's freedom".

"If you won’t be the voice of those who are in prison, they can do whatever they want. We should not be afraid of them, because our fear gives them strength," she added.

In mid-April, riot police in Shahinshar, central Iran, attacked a large crowd of people with tear gas and shotguns who were protesting ongoing gas attacks on schoolgirls.

Parents and students who gathered spontaneously outside the education department of Shahin-Shahr chanted anti-government slogans like “We don’t want a child-killing government.”

Chemical attacks on schools and poisoning of thousands of students in Iran continued for more than five months.

During this period, the Islamic Republic never accepted any responsibility for the attack claiming "collective fear" was the cause of the students’ sickness.