Since the onset of the war between Israel and Iran, numerous reports have emerged detailing the repression of citizens, arrests of civil activists, pressure on political prisoners, and global internet outages. In conditions where Israel issues evacuation warnings and the regime doesn’t even provide air raid sirens, access to life-saving information and demands for the right to education during wartime, access to shelters, and the release of prisoners have increased the pressure on activists, prisoners, and ordinary citizens.
Pressure on political prisoners: Where is Ali Younesi?
Ali Younesi, an elite student at Sharif University and a medalist in the International Astronomy Olympiad, was arrested in March 2020 along with his friend Amirhossein Moradi. These two young men, both around twenty years old at the time, were accused of collaborating with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), the largest opposition group to the Iranian regime. After months of solitary confinement, sustained pressure, and relentless interrogations—and over two years of legal limbo—each was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Iranian Political Prisoner Ali Younesi Transferred from Evin Prison to an Unknown Location
On Tuesday, June 17, “Aida Younesi,” Ali’s sister, tweeted about the “abduction” of her brother, who is incarcerated in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, by intelligence agents. The agents later told Ali’s cellmates that he had been taken for interrogation.
Nevertheless, as of the time of writing this report, there has been no news about this imprisoned student. Ali Younesi has been held in prison for the past five years without a single day of furlough.
According to published information, “Hossein Mirbahari,” a well-known child rights activist in Iran, was arrested on June 21 in Tehran. Reports indicate that six plainclothes agents arrested him on that day, but no details have been released regarding the location of his detention or the reasons behind his arrest.
“Hassan Bagherinia,” a former professor at Hakim Sabzevari University, and his wife “Fatemeh Navardi” were also arrested following the circulation of a video on social media in which he accused the regime of consistently exploiting crises to silence dissent.
In another report, “Pouria Nasiri,” a student at the Islamic Azad University in Mahabad, was arrested on June 20. “Sadoun Ghazali,” another Kurdish citizen residing in Mahabad, was also arrested by security forces on Sunday, June 22.
Just two days after the war began, a prominent social sciences scholar known for repeatedly criticizing the policies of the Iranian regime was also arrested. “Mostafa Mehraeen” was detained and transferred to Evin Prison just hours after publishing an open letter addressed to Ali Khamenei and other political and military officials of the regime.
In his letter, Mehraeen called for the immediate end of the war, a return to negotiations, and the resignation of the regime’s supreme leader. He emphasized that the Iranian regime no longer represents the legitimate will of the Iranian people and warned that the continuation of the current situation would further intensify internal crises.
“Motahareh Gonei,” a former political prisoner and student activist, was also arrested one day after the attack, on Saturday, June 14. In her last post on X (formerly Twitter), written just hours before her arrest, she stated: “Now is the time to be precise in our responses and stances. To see who stood with the people and Iran, and which groups, out of fear of war, ran into the arms of the Iranian regime.”
The arrests are not limited to activists. Amid the war between Israel and Iran, justice-seeking families reported that “Majid Naderkhani,” father of “Matin,” and “Ali Mohammadi,” father of “Shahriar”—both killed during the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protest movement—were arrested by security forces.
All these arrests are taking place while prison conditions during wartime are dire. According to several political prisoners held in Evin Prison, Iranian prisons—especially Ward 8 of Evin—lack safety measures against missile and drone attacks, and continuing to hold inmates under such circumstances could put their lives in danger.
Pressure on ordinary citizens
Reports circulating on social media indicate a heightened security atmosphere in various cities across Iran. Eyewitnesses say that riot police have been deployed at several gas stations, especially in northern cities of Iran where millions of displaced citizens have recently sought refuge.
At the same time, state-run news agencies have published reports of citizens being arrested for expressing opinions about the war. Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC, reported that on June 14, amid ongoing military strikes between Israel and Iran, two individuals in Kerman Province were arrested by the Public Security Police. The charges included “supporting and backing Israel,” “disturbing public opinion in cyberspace,” “propaganda activities against the regime,” “insulting the exalted status of martyrs,” and “spreading rumors.”
Internet access in Iran has been down for more than 62 hours, with the shutdown beginning on June 18.
While internet access remains cut off across Iran, eyewitnesses and even regime institutions report that Basij forces have set up street patrols and checkpoints. On Monday, June 16, the Basij Organization announced that with the escalation of hostilities between the Iranian regime and Israel, security measures would be intensified nationwide.
Arrest of foreign nationals; espionage accusations
The regime’s repression is not limited to its own citizens who are under bombardment and cut off from the internet. Mehr News Agency published a report about a German-Jewish tourist who entered Iran a year before the war began and was cycling through the country. In a video, this individual—identified as “Marc Kaufman”—is accused of spying for Israel. It is claimed that he sent photos, videos, and GPS locations of “sensitive sites” to individuals outside of Iran.
The Mashregh News website, affiliated with the IRGC, reported on Thursday, June 19, quoting an informed source, that 18 individuals—mostly Afghan nationals—were arrested in the city of Mashhad. According to the source, they were identified in a complex operation and detained on charges of “espionage for Israel.”
