Within Two Days, Six Citizens Arrested in Piranshahr

HRANA News Agency – On Sunday and Monday, January 19 and 20, 2025, at least six individuals were arrested by security forces in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan province.

According to HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, on Sunday, security forces arrested a citizen in Piranshahr identified as Hiwa Shojaei, a 34-year-old resident of the city. The arrest reportedly occurred at his workplace without a judicial warrant.

Additionally, on Monday, January 20, 2025, security forces detained five more individuals in Piranshahr: Mohammad Sohrabi, Fardin Mahmoudi, Morad Ostavar, Nemat Ahmadnejad, and Anvar Ebrahimi.

Among the detainees, Sohrabi, who was previously arrested during the nationwide protests of 2022, has a history of legal confrontations and convictions due to his activism.

As of the time of this report, there is no information about the reasons for the arrests, the detainees’ whereabouts, or the charges against these six citizens.

Five People Arrested in Naqadeh by Security Forces

According to HRANA, quoting Kolbar News, five residents of Naqadeh have been arrested.

Previously, the identity of one of the detainees, Ayoub Armand, had been confirmed. The identities of the other four have now been reported as Jalal Mohammadi, Khaled Mohammadi, Mohammad Taher Eliasi, and 25-year-old Masoud Mahmoudpour.

The report states that Jalal Mohammadi and his cousin Khaled Mohammadi were arrested on Monday, January 13, by security forces at their homes without a court warrant.

Additionally, Mr. Armand and Mr. Eliasi were arrested yesterday, January 16, while Mr. Mahmoudpour was taken into custody on Wednesday, January 15, by security forces.

As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding the reasons for their arrests, their whereabouts, or the charges against them.

In 2024, HRANA documented 561 cases of human rights violations in West Azerbaijan Province, including Naqadeh, placing it third among all provinces in Iran for reported violations.

Ayoub Armand Arrested by Security Forces in Naqadeh

HRANA News Agency – Today, January 16, Ayoub Armand, a 35-year-old married resident of Naqadeh, was arrested by security forces in the city and transferred to an undisclosed location, according to Kurdpa.

Ayoub Armand was reportedly detained without a judicial warrant and with the use of violence.

As of now, no information is available regarding the reasons for his arrest, the charges against him, or his whereabouts.

In 2024, HRANA documented 561 cases of human rights violations in West Azerbaijan Province, including Naqadeh, placing it third among all provinces in Iran for reported violations.

IRGC Agents Arrest Several in Khuzestan on Espionage Charges

HRANA News Agency – Several individuals in Khuzestan Province have been arrested by the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on charges of “espionage,” according to a report by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency.

The report claims that the detainees were “in contact with the intelligence service of a Persian Gulf country and involved in collecting information from sensitive sites within the province.”

Details regarding the exact number of those arrested, their identities, and their current location remain undisclosed.

While combating espionage is not inherently a human rights issue, Iran’s consistent history of using such accusations as a pretext to suppress political dissent raises concerns. These allegations, particularly in the absence of detailed evidence and judicial transparency, often invite skepticism and call into question the motives behind such arrests.

Dozens of Citizens Arrested in Khuzestan Province; Identities of 28 Individuals Verified

Over a span of five days, dozens of citizens were arrested in Khuzestan Province by security forces. HRANA has so far verified the identities of 28 of these individuals.

On the morning of Wednesday, January 8, 2025, security forces arrested several individuals, including Reza Heidari, Javad Heidari, Ali Savari, Foad Mousavi, Javad Afri, Yasin Silavi, Ali Koroushat, and Mohammad Naseri, in different areas of Ahvaz. They were subsequently transferred to an undisclosed location.

Additionally, on the same day, Khaled Amouri, Ali Amouri, and Mohammad Amouri were detained by agents of The Ministry of Intelligence in Ramshir and transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Ramhormoz.

On the evening of Monday, January 6, five Sunni citizens, including Younes Ghorbavi and Reza Zahiri, were arrested in Ahvaz. Earlier, on Sunday, January 5, Hashem Mousavi (Hermosi), a 56-year-old resident of the Sheiban district in Ahvaz, was also detained by security forces.

In continuation of this wave of arrests, in recent days, other individuals, including Sadegh Mansouri, Mansour Jasemi, Ahmad Jalali, Hossein Saeedi, Saeed Fallahi, Ahmad Khaledi, Ayoub Torfi, Yousef Saedi, Mohammad Ayashi, and Ali Savari, have been detained. These arrests were reportedly accompanied by the confiscation of personal belongings, such as mobile phones and computers. Local reports indicate that families of the detainees are deeply concerned about their condition and whereabouts.

Previously, HRANA reported the arrest of Ayoub Gheibipour on January 5, Milad Bahri and Saeed Esmail Mazraeh on January 6, Ahlam Abeyyat (Bandar) on January 7 in Ahvaz.

As of now, there is no information about the reasons behind the arrests or the current location of many of these detainees.

Local sources have reported that the total number of recent arrests in these areas exceeds the figures provided so far. Further information, including the identities of additional detainees, is under investigation.

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Dozens of Citizens Arrested in Nosratabad, Zahedan

In the early hours of Tuesday, January 7, a number of citizens in Nosratabad, a district in Zahedan, were arrested by military and security forces. Haal Vsh estimates that at least 38 individuals were detained, with the identities of eight citizens confirmed.

The arrested individuals are all married and residents of the Zebarabad area in Nosratabad District of Zahedan County, Sistan and Baluchestan province. Their identities are as follows:

  • Yasin Naroui, 29
  • Mehdi Naroui, 30
  • Azin Naroui, 28
  • Aminollah Naroui, 39
  • Aminollah Naroui, 41
  • Mohsen Naroui, 26
  • Musa Naroui, 44
  • Majid Naroui, 47

The arrests reportedly involved violent actions, creating fear and intimidation among the local population. During the raids, some residents’ personal belongings were damaged by the security forces.

Details about the detainees’ whereabouts, the reasons for their arrests, and the charges against them remain unknown at this time.

Sistan and Baluchestan province is one of the four regions with the highest number of human rights violations by regime authorities. In 2024, HRA documented 524 such cases in the province.

Afshin Hossein Panahi Arrested in Sanandaj

Yesterday, Wednesday, Afshin Hossein Panahi, the brother of executed political prisoner Ramin Hossein Panahi, was arrested by security forces in Sanandaj and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Afshin Hossein Panahi was detained at his workplace by security forces. His brother, Rafigh Hossein Panahi, reported that the arrest took place on Wednesday, January 8, and that the agents later searched his home.

As of this report, no information is available about the reasons for his arrest, the charges against him, or his current whereabouts.

Afshin Hossein Panahi has previously faced legal charges and convictions related to his activism.

On September 8, 2018, Ramin Hossein Panahi was executed alongside two other political prisoners, Zaniar Moradi and Loghman Moradi, under highly controversial circumstances. The executions were carried out without prior notification to their legal counsel, depriving the prisoners of the presence of their representatives at the time of execution. Furthermore, in violation of the law, the authorities refused to return the bodies to their families, instead burying them in undisclosed locations. Families were also subjected to threats aimed at silencing protests and preventing the spread of information about the executions. These actions drew widespread condemnation from human rights organizations and legal advocates alike.

Two Teenagers Arrested by Security Forces in Mahabad

On Tuesday, December 31, Rezgar Moloudi and Kamyar Izadi, two teenagers from Mahabad, were arrested after being summoned to Ministry of Intelligence Office in this city and transferred to The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Urmia.

According to HRANA, citing Kurdpa, the two teenagers, both 17 years old and residents of a village in Mahabad County, were detained on December 31.

The report also mentions that security forces raided Rezgar Moloudi’s family home on Monday, searching the premises.

As of now, no information is available regarding the reasons for their arrest or the charges against them.

Two Brothers Arrested by Security Forces in Mahabad

Khaled Bakri and Mohammad Bakri, residents of Mahabad, were arrested by security forces in this city and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to HRANA, quoting Kolbar News, the two citizens have been identified as Khaled Bakri, 46, and his brother Mohammad Bakri, 43.

Reports indicate that Mohammad Bakri was arrested on the evening of Monday, December 30, 2024, in Mahabad, while Khaled Bakri was detained on Sunday, December 29, on the road between Mahabad and Sardasht.

It is worth noting that several other individuals have been arrested in Mahabad and neighboring cities in recent days.

As of now, no information is available regarding the reasons for these arrests, the detainees’ whereabouts, or the charges against them.

In 2024, HRANA documented 561 cases of human rights violations in West Azerbaijan Province, including Mahabad, placing it third among all provinces in Iran for reported violations.

Report on the Arrest of Four Citizens in West Azerbaijan Province

In recent days, four citizens named Khaled Mohammadian, Amin Bazian, Jamal Sheikhehpour, and Afshin Khalifehzadeh were arrested by security forces in Sardasht, Piranshahr, and Mahabad and transferred to undisclosed locations.

According to HRANA, quoting Kurdpa, early Sunday morning, December 29, Sheikhehpour and Khalifehzadeh were arrested in Mahabad. These individuals, residents of Qom Qaleh village in Mahabad county, were detained without judicial warrants and taken to unknown locations.

In a separate report, Kurdpa confirmed the arrest of a citizen in Sardasht identified as Khaled Mohammadian in Sardasht County. Security forces entered Mr. Mohammadian’s home early the previous morning, arrested him without presenting a warrant, and transferred him to an undisclosed location. During the arrest, they also searched his home.

On Friday, December 27, another citizen, identified as Amin Bazian, aged around 28, a resident of Piranshahr, was arrested and taken to an unknown location.

The arrest of this individual was also carried out without a judicial warrant by security forces.

So far, no information is available regarding the reasons for the arrests or the charges brought against these citizens.