(RFE/RL) Iran has arrested several prominent reformist politicians as the authorities widen their crackdown on dissent following mass anti-government protests that posed one of the biggest threats to the clerical establishment in years. Iranian media reported the arrests of Ebrahim Asqarzadeh, Mohsen Aminzadeh, and Azar Mansuri — members of the Reformists Front coalition — on February 8. Javad Emam, the spokesman for the coalition, was arrested on February 9. The authorities used brute force to put down weekslong nationwide protests that erupted in late December, killing several thousand people, according to human rights groups. Since then, the authorities have launched a campaign of mass arrests and targeted prominent activists and political figures.
Iran Launches Crackdown On Reformist Politicians After Mass Protests
