Third Minor Identified in Detention for Celebrating Iranian Football Team's Loss

Hengaw: Monday, February 19, 2024

The identification of Diako Behroojeh as a detained minor brings the total number of recognized detainees in Javanroud to four, all apprehended for celebrating Iran's football team's loss to Qatar, with three of them being minors under 18.

According to reports received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on Wednesday, February 7th, 2024, 17-year-old Diako Behroojeh from Javanroud was arrested by Iranian security forces.

Hengaw had previously reported the detention of 17-year-old Mohammad Yousfi and 21-year-old Hamza Barzgar on the same evening, as well as the arrest of 16-year-old Mohammad Mahmoudi on Wednesday, February 14th.

Based on earlier reports from Hengaw, at least 10 minors and teenagers were detained for celebrating and expressing joy over the defeat of Iran's football team by the Qatar national team. The minors under 18 were transferred to the Kermanshah Correction and Development Center, while the others were relocated to Dieselabad Prison in Javanroud.

Iran's national football team was defeated by the Qatar national team with a score of 3-2 on Wednesday, February 14th, in the semifinals of the AFC Asian Cup, leading to their elimination.

It is noteworthy that during the Jin, Jiyan, Azadi movement in several cities in Kurdistan, including Javanroud, Sanandaj, and Divandareh, several protesters were directly shot and killed by government forces while celebrating the defeat of Iran's football team in the Football World Cup.