Security forces arrest father in Bojnord after failing to detain 14-year-old Kezhal Salehi

Hengaw – Tuesday, July 15, 2025 

Intelligence forces have arrested Araz Salehi, the father of 14-year-old Kurdish student Kezhal Salehi, after a raid on their family home in Bojnord, North Khorasan province. The raid was carried out to arrest Kezhal following her public recitations of Kurdish (Kurmanji) poems praising Kurdistan. 

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, intelligence forces stormed the Salehi family home in the village of Naveh, Bojnord. While Kezhal managed to escape, her father, Araz Salehi, was arrested and transferred to an undisclosed location. 

Sources close to the family reported that during the raid, intelligence agents confiscated all mobile phones and electronic devices belonging to family members. Agents also ordered the entire family to report to the Intelligence Department the following day for further interrogation. 

Kezhal Salehi, a 14-year-old Kurdish student, had recently performed several patriotic and culturally themed recitations in Kurdish at local cultural events. Her performances gained widespread attention among attendees and on social media.