Iranian Civil Activist Maryam Abdi Arrested At Home

Maryam Abdi, a prominent Iranian civil activist, was arrested at home on Monday morning by forces from the Ministry of Intelligence.

Security forces also seized her electronic devices, according to her father during an interview with Ham-Mihan newspaper, the latest in a long line of arrests made of journalists accused of anti-regime sentiment and threatening state security.

The official reason for Maryam's arrest has not been publicly disclosed as of now. However, the Emtedad Telegram channel has indicated that it is somehow linked to the case of Mehdi Yarahi, a protest singer.

Yarahi garnered attention for releasing multiple songs in support of nationwide protests in 2022 and for his active presence on social media platforms. He was arrested on August 28, following the release of his song "Roosarito" (Your Headscarf). Yarahi was released from Evin Prison on bail last week.

Maryam's father, Abbas Abdi, also has a history of demanding more media freedom. He served as a member of the editorial board for the daily publication Salam and faced an eight-month imprisonment in 1993 due to his critical writing published within the newspaper. Notably, in July 1999, Salam daily faced a temporary ban imposed by the Special Court for the Clergy after it published a confidential ministry report. The event led to six consecutive days of student demonstrations in Tehran.

On August 4, 1999, the newspaper received a five-year ban, and its publisher, Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha, was barred from engaging in journalistic activities for a three-year period.

Abdi has been a member of the central council of reformist party the Islamic Iran Participation Front and presently serves as the chairman of the Association of Iranian Journalists.