The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) issued a statement on Thursday, July 2, expressing deep concern over the arrest of Houman Jowkar and Sepideh Kashani, a prominent environmentalist couple in Iran. The organization urgently called on authorities in Tehran to grant them immediate access to legal counsel and medical care.
In its statement, WCS highlighted the couple’s profound love for their country and their recognized expertise in the field, demanding the immediate release of both individuals alongside Sima Kashani, Sepideh’s sister. Sima Kashani, who suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS), was detained alongside the couple.
On the evening of Wednesday, July 1, defense attorney Hojjat Kermani broke the news of the re-arrest of Sepideh Kashani and Houman Jowkar, both of whom had previously been imprisoned by the Islamic Republic.
The exact reasons behind their re-arrest remain unknown. The couple are key members of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation. Along with several other environmental activists, they were initially arrested by the IRGC Intelligence Organization in the winter of 2018 and were eventually released under an amnesty program after serving six years in prison.
