10 Kurdish Men Arrested for Participating in Newroz Celebrations by Iranian Security Forces
Hengaw: Fraidey, May 3, 2024
In recent days, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) intelligence department has apprehended a minimum of 10 Kurdish individuals hailing from Oshnavieh, West Azerbaijan (Urmia) Province. Identified individuals include Youssef Hajikhosh, Salah Qazi, Hossamuddin Mahmoudi, Mohammad Sultanpour, Ghafoor Sheikhmohammadi, Jafar Rasouli, Hassan Rasouli, Mouloud Roosta, Hadi Laweh, and Ako Ebrahimi. They were detained for their participation in Newroz celebrations.
According to reports obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the wave of arrests commenced with the intrusion into the village of "Gundvila" during the early hours of Thursday, May 2, 2024. In a display of coercion and intimidation, the forces of the IRGC's intelligence department apprehended Salah Qazi, aged 25.
On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, Hossamuddin Mahmoudi, aged 19, from the village of "Kani Surak," Hadi Laweh, a singer from Oshnavieh, and Yusuf Hajikush, a member of the Kurdish United Front's executive board, were among those detained by the IRGC intelligence forces.
Sources from Hengaw reveal that approximately 30 IRGC members raided the village of "Kohneh Qala," where Yusuf Hajikush was apprehended, without presenting a legal warrant.
Continuing this pattern, on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, six additional Kurdish men were forcefully detained by the forces IRGC's intelligence department. The detained individuals include Hasan Rasouli from the village of "Hasan Noran," Mohammad Sultanpour from "Deh Shams" village, 50-year-old Ghafoor Sheikh Mohammadi from "Ali Abad" village, 36-year-old Jafar Rasouli from “Bimzarteh” village, and Ako Abrahi from "Alkawi" village (Aliabad).
These individuals were arrested on the allegation of participating in Newroz celebrations. However, details regarding their current status and whereabouts remain undisclosed. It is feared that the number of arrests may escalate in the near future.
