HRANA – Nine citizens, including a 16-year-old teenager, who were arrested in connection with the January 2026 protests in Esfarayen, remain in judicial limbo.

According to HRANA, the nine individuals arrested in connection with the January 2026 protests in Esfarayen County continue to be held without a final judicial decision.

A source familiar with the case, who confirmed the information to HRANA, said that they were arrested in connection with the fire at the traffic police station in Esfarayen, an incident that resulted in the deaths of Esfarayen Prosecutor Ali Akbar Hosseinzadeh and four other people on January 8, 2026. The detainees are currently facing charges including enmity against God (moharebeh), corruption on earth, premeditated murder, complicity in premeditated murder, intentional destruction of property, arson, inciting and provoking people to engage in armed conflict, disrupting public order and peace, and endangering national security. Their case is currently under review by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Bojnurd.

According to information received by HRANA, Mohammad Azari, Reza Rezapour, Hossein Mehrangiz, Sajjad Shamsaei, Ali Babri, Amirhossein Nazarzadeh, Sajjad Sang-Sefidi, and Mostafa Rajab-Alizadeh are being held in Esfarayen Prison, while 16-year-old Amirhossein Sarban is detained at the Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center in Bojnurd. All nine were arrested in connection with the January 2026 nationwide protests in Esfarayen and, more than six months later, remain in legal limbo.

They were arrested separately by security forces over the course of January 2026. Amirhossein Nazarzadeh was detained on January 20, Mohammad Azari on January 14, Hossein Mehrangiz on January 9, and Ali Bebri later that month.

Amirhossein Nazarzadeh, 27, is from the village of Fartan. Mohammad Azari, 35, Amirhossein Sarban, 16, and the remaining detainees, Reza Rezapour, Hossein Mehrangiz, Sajjad Shamsaei, Ali Bebri, Sajjad Sang-Sefidi, and Mostafa Rajab-Alizadeh, are residents of Esfarayen County.

At the time of publication, no confirmed information was available regarding the formal charges brought against these individuals, the judicial authority handling their case, or whether they have access to legal counsel.

Background on the January 2026 Protests

It should be noted that protests and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and within two days spread beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the largest protest movements of recent years. Following the crackdown by security and law enforcement forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security agencies. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “Crimson Winter,” documenting the first fifty days following the outbreak of Iran’s nationwide protests.