Arrest of Motahareh Gonaei for Commenting on Israeli Airstrikes
14-June-2025
Category: Freedom of Expression
14 June 2025
News Category: Freedom of Expression
Breathing in Confinement – On Saturday, 14 June 2025, Motahareh Gonaei was arrested and taken to an undisclosed location after posting a critical opinion regarding the Israeli airstrikes.
According to Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, Gonaei was arrested earlier today by security forces following her comments on the Israeli attacks.
Prior to her arrest, in her most recent social media post, Gonaei wrote:
“Since last night, and just now again, I received several anonymous calls, which I didn’t answer. Instead of making these calls and threatening citizens, release a wartime protocol so people can at least protect themselves. You can’t even ensure the safety of your own top commanders!”
Her arrest for expressing an opinion and calling for public safety contradicts the principles of free speech and the fundamental rights of citizens. Under international human rights standards, the peaceful expression of opinion must not be grounds for arrest or security intimidation.