Five Kurdish Media Activists Arrested by Iranian Authorities Over Nawroz Celebrations

Hengaw: Tuesday, May 21, 2024

At least five media and social network activists, named Hezhar Mahmoudi, Delshad Shadab, Baset Ghaderzadeh, Sami Mohammadi Eqdam, and Zaher Hajipour, were arrested by the security institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in connection with the Nawroz celebrations in Kurdistan. These individuals were the managers of the Instagram page "Shnoyekem."

According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on Monday, May 20, 2024, the five activists were detained after being summoned to the Oshnavieh Intelligence Department.

The report details that Hezhar Mahmoudi, 30, from Piranshahr, the main manager of the page; Delshad Shadab, 32, a photographer and editor; Baset Ghaderzadeh, 28; Zaher Hajipour, 38, both speakers; and Sami Mohammadi Eqdam, a Kurdish language teacher, all from Oshnavieh (Shno), were transferred to an unknown location following their arrest.

Hengaw has learned that these Kurdish individuals were summoned and detained due to their involvement in the Nawroz celebrations. Notably, several posts related to the Nawroz celebrations were deleted from the Instagram page "Shnoyekem" under pressure and threats from the Intelligence Department.

Relatives of the detained activists informed Hengaw that the Intelligence Department confiscated their mobile phones and laptops at the time of arrest. Additionally, the cultural and social Instagram page "Shnoyekem" was deactivated for several hours.