The apprehension of 264 citizens by the government forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran transpired in August 2023
Hengaw: Saturday, September 2nd, 2023
Based on the statistics registered in the Statistics and Documents Centre of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, in August 2023, government forces in Iran arrested at least 264 citizens, marking a 17% increase of 39 cases compared to July, when 225 citizens were detained.
According to this report, government forces arrested or abducted at least 116 Kurdish citizens, 22 Gilak citizens, 20 Turkish citizens, and 14 Baloch citizens. Additionally, 36 women, 11 children, and 17 Baha'i citizens were also apprehended during the month of August.
44% of the arrested citizens were Kurdish citizens.
According to Hengaw statistics, a minimum of 116 Kurdish citizens were apprehended by government institutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran in August. This figure represents approximately 44% of the total number of citizens arrested in Iran last month.
Additionally, in the past month, security institutions have arrested at least 22 Gilak citizens (8.3%), 20 Turkish citizens (7.6%), and 14 Baloch citizens (5.3%).
Detention of religious minorities:
Arrests of followers of religion and religious minorities continued in August, as in previous months, by government institutions. During the past month, at least 24 religious activists have been apprehended by the government institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
According to this report, 17 of the apprehended religious activists were adherents of the Baha'i faith, with 10 being women and 7 being men. Additionally, during the past month, a minimum of five Sunni activists were detained in various cities in Sistan and Baluchistan, and two more activists were arrested in the cities of Kurdistan.
Arrest of 36 women and 11 children in August:
Based on the statistics registered in the Statistics and Documents Centre of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, over the past month, security institutions across Iran have arrested at least 36 women, accounting for 13.6% of the total number of detainees.
It should be noted that last month, government institutions arrested at least 15 Kurdish women activists and 11 Baha'i women activists.
Furthermore, during this period, a minimum of 11 children under the age of 18 were arrested or abducted in Iran by security and government institutions.
According to this report, six of the arrested children were of Kurdish descent. Additionally, two Baloch children, as well as three other children, were apprehended in the cities of Mashhad, Nowshahr, and Tehran.
Detention of teachers, students, and media activists:
In August of this year, according to Hengaw statistics, there were at least four students and a teacher arrested in various cities across Iran. Among the detained students, three were Kurds.
It is worth noting that in the past month, government institutions in various cities of Iran have arrested at least six journalists and media activists, along with seven artists and actors.
The identities of all these 264 cases have been registered in the Statistics and Documents Centre of Hengaw.
