Security forces arrest 7 Kurds in Mahabad

Hengaw: Sunday, December 15, 2024

At least seven Kurds from Mahabad—Siamand Seyed-Ahmadi, Ghader Kharamanfar, Kamal Massoudi, Jalal Sadafi, Yousef Ghal, Aram Mabzoleh, and Zaniar Seyed-Ahmadi—have been arrested by the Islamic Republic of Iran's Intelligence Department and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to reports received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the arrests occurred in the early hours of Sunday, December 15, 2024, around 2 a.m., when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Unit raided the homes of several individuals in the village of Bayram, Mahabad County. Among those arrested during the raids were Yousef Ghal, Aram Mabzoleh, Zaniar Seyed-Ahmadi, and Siamand Seyed-Ahmadi. These arrests were conducted without presenting arrest warrants, and the individuals were taken to an unknown location.

Simultaneously, IRGC agents detained three others—Ghader Kharamanfar, Kamal Massoudi, and Jalal Sadafi—after raiding their homes.

Hengaw has learned that the arrests involved excessive violence, with security forces confiscating personal belongings during the raids. Sources indicate that the detainees have been transferred to a security detention center in Urmia, but families have been unable to obtain information regarding their loved ones’ whereabouts or conditions.

As of now, no official statements have been released regarding the reasons for the arrests, charges brought against the detainees, or their current legal status.