Abbas Lesani a well- known political activist has been detained since July 1st 2018. A group of intelligence agents of Ettelaat stormed into his workplace in the city of Ardebil, South Azerbaijan and arbitrarily arrested him without any warrant. Neither any charges have been laid nor have any reasons for the surprise detention been disclosed as of yet.
It is feared that he is being subjected to harsh treatments or tortures.

Within last decade, Mr. Lesani has nearly spend every other day of his life in either a prison or an interrogation cell of Iran’s Ettelaat.

Lesani’s detention was followed by a wave of arrests of other activists nameli Asger Akberzade, Ali Vaseqi and Said Sadeqifar, Ibrahim Nuri, Rahim Qulami, Rahim Sasani, Morteza Mohammadi, Abdulla Hushmand, Mehdi Hushmand in Ardebil and other parts of South Azerbaijan.

Reason for the detention wave is not disclosed; however, It is assumed that the arrests might be related to the South Azerbaijanies preperation for the mass gathering at Babek Castle.