Repeated Detention of Salman Olfati, Retired Teacher and Kurdish Civil Rights Activist

Hengaw; Saturday, April 13, 2024

Salman Olfati, a 60-year-old retired social studies teacher and civil rights activist from Gīlān-e Gharb, Kermanshah (Geylan, Kermashan), has once again been detained by the intelligence forces of the Islamic Republic Revolutionary Guard.

According to reports received by the Hengaw Human Rights Organization, at approximately 8:00 AM local time on Friday, April 12, 2024, intelligence officers intercepted Olfati’s vehicle on the streets of Gīlān-e Gharb, forcibly detaining him and subsequently transporting him to an undisclosed location. Following his detention, security forces conducted an unauthorized search of Olfati’s residence, without a warrant, eventually returning his car keys and vehicle to his family.

As of the date of this report, specific details regarding the reasons for Olfati’s arrest, the charges against him, and his current whereabouts and condition remain undisclosed.

This is not the first incident involving Salman Olfati’s detention; he was previously arrested on May 15, 2023, following a thorough search of his home during which some of his personal belongings were confiscated. After an unspecified period in the custody of security institutions, he was transferred to Dizelābād Prison in Kermanshah and subsequently released.