Iran: Arrests in Advance of Next Week’s Planned Demonstrations

Kaveh Ghasemi Kermanshahi, a leading Iranian rights activist, was arrested on Wednesday by regime security personnel. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran responded immediately by denouncing the arrest and defending Kermanshahi as “one of the most important sources of objective human rights information and analysis in Iran.” Campaign spokesperson Hadi Ghaemi added that “Kaveh has committed no crime, and his arrest is an apparent attempt to shield the authorities from scrutiny ahead of expected protests on [February 11].”

In other ominous Iran news, Chantal Flores of the Nation‘s Act Now! blog catches a report about a surge in arrests of female activists, most of whom are students.

As Iran braces for country-wide demonstrations on the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution next week, POMED will continue to provide updates about how the events may impact the ongoing formulation of U.S.-Iran policy.