Eskandar Lotfi is the spokesperson of the Coordinating Council of the Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations (CCITTA) and an active member of the of ITTA, Marivan-Kurdistan Branch, who has advocated for the rights of children to free education, a proper classification of teachers and harmonization of retirees’ pensions. On 8 February 2020, the human rights defender was sentenced to two years in prison on the charges of “propaganda activities against state” and “spreading misinformation” based on his trade union activities by Branch 104 of Sanandaj Criminal Court II. However, Branch 4 of Sanandaj Court of Appeals acquitted the human rights defender of the two aforementioned charges in July 2020.
Human rights defenders and journalists are arrested, detained and prosecuted in unfair trials. HRDs continue to receive death threats and are subjected to harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention. They are refused bail or receive extreme bail conditions. HRDs are additionally subjected to systematic surveillance and their family members are targeted. Journalists have been subjected to flogging for criticising the government.
