On August 27, 2023, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Mehrdad Sheikhi was apprehended by security forces in Ardabil and subsequently transported to an undisclosed location.

The arrest of Sheikhi took place at his father’s residence. Throughout the apprehension, the agents conducted a thorough search of the premises, leading to the confiscation of several of his personal belongings. As of now, the specific reasons behind his arrest, his current location, and the exact charges brought against him remain unknown.

This incident marks another instance of Sheikhi’s confrontations with law enforcement due to his involvement in activist initiatives.

In the year 2022, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) documented a total of 225 detentions of individuals advocating for ethnic rights.