Hashem Khastar

{{short description|Iranian teacher and union leader}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Hashem Khastar

| image =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|06|2}}

| birth_place = Birjand, Iran

| known_for = Head of the Mashhad Teachers Union

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation =

}}

Hashem Khastar ({{langx|fa|هاشم خواستار}}; born June 2, 1953) is a former teacher at the Agriculture Technical High School in Mashhad in northeastern Iran, and an agricultural engineer and the Head of the Mashhad Teachers Union.{{cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/another-activist-detained-in-iran-s-crackdown-on-teachers-unions/4628377.html|title=Another Activist Detained in Iran's Crackdown on Teachers Unions|last1 = Lipin | first1 = Michael| last2 = Alavi | first2 = Shahed|date=24 October 2018|publisher= Voice of America News on Iran}}

Background

He has been detained several times for defending teachers' rights and participating in rally protests of teachers and was imprisoned from 2009 to 2011 in Mashhad's notorious Vakilabad Prison.{{cite news|url=https://en.radiofarda.com/a/dissident-iran-teacher-khastar-held-at-psychiatric-hospital/29565311.html|title=Missing Teacher And Regime Critic Held At Psychiatric Facility|publisher=Radio Farda|date=26 October 2018}}

In a letter he said that "the root of the corruption and all the problems, was Ali Khamenei" the Supreme Leader of Iran, and that he had to be held accountable.

Khastar had previously been detained in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. Despite being threatened by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence on several occasion he had refused to cease his activities.{{cite news|url=https://irannewswire.org/iran-activist-abducted-by-mois-in-mashhad/|title=Iran activist abducted by intelligence agents in Mashhad|publisher=Iran News Wire|date=24 October 2018}}

On October 23, 2018, he disappeared in the city of Mashhad, and was being detained by the Islamic Republic's Intelligence Ministry at a psychiatric hospital, his wife disclosed in an interview.{{cite web|url=https://www.iranhumanrights.org/2018/10/iran-authorities-wont-explain-why-teachers-rights-activist-is-being-held-incommunicado-in-mental-hospital/|title=Iran Authorities Won't Explain Why Teachers' Rights Activist is Being Held Incommunicado in Mental Hospital|publisher=Center for Human Rights in Iran|date=26 October 2018}} Hashem Khastar was released a few hours after being taken into custody on Monday, November 5, 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.en-hrana.org/hashem-khastars-supporters-released-from-custody|title=Hashem Khastar’s Supporters Released from Custody|date=2018-11-07|publisher=Hrana News Agency|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-18}}

References