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An Iranian labour protest leader has been arrested for the second time, state media reported Monday, after the judiciary denied his claim that he was tortured in custody late last year. Esmail Bakhshi "was arrested last night in cooperation with security and law enforcement forces," Mansour Mohammadi, the prosecutor general of Dezful, in Khuzestan province, told the judiciary's news website Mizan Online.

Bakhshi was one of the organisers of weeks of protests at the Haft Tapeh sugar factory in the city of Shush in November and December, over unpaid wages and alleged criminal activity by new private owners.

State TV on Saturday broadcast a programme claiming that Bakhshi and Sepideh Gholian, another activist who supported the Haft Tapeh strikers, had connections with Europe-based activists who "aim to topple the state". The programme featured footage of Bakhshi and Gholian sitting behind desks in front of red and blue curtains, detailing their connections and activities with the activists, allegedly based in several European countries.

The footage was undated and taken in an unknown location. Both Bakhshi and Gholian were detained last year during the protests. Gholian was also arrested Sunday, according to Mizan Online. The semi-official Fars news agency, close to conservatives, said Bakshi had attempted to flee the country to continue the "torture allegation project" abroad.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2019


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