Security crackdown on Newroz in Kurdistan: Dozens of Kurds, including children, arrested

Hengaw: Monday, March 24, 2025

As Newroz celebrations took place in various cities across Kurdistan, security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have carried out widespread summons, interrogations, and arrests of Kurdish people to suppress this cultural and traditional event.

According to statistics recorded by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, in recent days, thousands of Kurds have been summoned and interrogated by security agencies, and at least 41 people, including 6 children, have been arrested. These arrests have occurred in the cities of Urmia, Oshnavieh (Shino), Sardasht, Saqqez, Marivan, Sanandaj (Sina), Piranshahr, and Kermanshah (Kermashan).

Identities of the six arrested children confirmed by Hengaw:

Shakar Mohammadzadeh (10 years old) and Briyar Mohammadiyani (14 years old) – both from Sardasht

Avin Ahmadi (16 years old) and Sariya Ahmadi (17 years old) – two sisters from Urmia

Keyhan Tadbiri (17 years old) and Mohammad Qaderi (17 years old) – both from Mariwan

Systematic repression of Newroz in Kurdistan

The celebration of Newroz, one of the most significant cultural events for various Middle Eastern nations, particularly the Kurdish people, does not require any official permit according to Article 37 of Iran’s Constitution. However, every year, the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran attempt to suppress these celebrations through intimidation, mass summons, threats, and arrests of Kurds.

Hengaw Organization for Human Rights has strongly condemned these widespread arrests and is calling for the unconditional release of all detainees. This crackdown is part of the systematic policies of the government aimed at restricting Kurdish cultural activities and suppressing their national identity.

Full List of 41 people arrested by city:

Marivan:
    1.    Aram Nikpey (38)
    2.    Mohammad Nikpey (28)
    3.    Mohammad Eshtak (23)
    4.    Tahsin Dadras (31)
    5.    Bilal Dadras (36)
    6.    Keyhan Tadbiri (17)
    7.    Mohammad Qaderi (17)
    8.    Mohammad Nikpey (28) (another cousin of Mohammad Nikpey)
    9.    Kaveh Dastan (45)
    10.    Chalak Pirozi (19)
    11.    Keyvan Minouei (32)
    12.    Karwan Dafei (25)

Sardasht:
    1.    Shakar Mohammadzadeh (10)
    2.    Briyar Mohammadiyani (14)
    3.    Aram Ali
    4.    Kamal Qazani
    5.    Rahim Qaderi
    6.    Kamran Ghazali
    7.    Shirzad Sheikhi
    8.    Behrouz Maslahat
    9.    Osman Omarnajad
    10.    Behrouz Hamzehpour
    11.    Mohammad Hosseinpour

Oshnavieh (Shino):
    1.    Seyed Kamal Tahaei
    2.    Abubakr Khatami (47)
    3.    Hadi Jamei (38)
    4.    Sami Khezri
    5.    Masoud Khezri
    6.    Hamzeh Zibakalam
    7.    Matin Choupani (20)

Sanandaj:
    1.    Shirowan Heidari
    2.    Idris Heidari
    3.    Sirowan Hatami
    4.    Saeed Babakarmi (34)

Urmia:
    1.    Rojbin Afsoon (22)
    2.    Avin Ahmadi (16)
    3.    Sariya Ahmadi (17)

Saqqez:
    1.    Fouad Keshavarz
    2.    Seifollah Khan Ghafouri Bashbalagh (78)

Kermanshah (Kermashan):
    1.    Mojtaba Weisi (36)

Piranshahr:
    1.    Salman Pasang