Esmail Gerami
Esmail Gerami is human rights defender and retired worker from the Iran Carton Company, who has been advocating for the rights of retired people through organising peaceful assemblies and associations since 2017. In 2020, He started a Telegram channel called “Independent Association of Social Security Workers” where he posted news on the peaceful assemblies of retired people and tried to raise awareness about their rights.
Hope for political reform in Iran surfaced when President Hassan Rouhani assumed office in 2013 and dozens of opposition political figures and human rights defenders were released. However, violations of the rights to freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly and movement of HRDs continue to be prevalent.
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.
