December Protests – Fifteen Kurds, including three injured, arrested across multiple cities in Iran

Hengaw – Wednesday, January 14, 2026

At least fifteen Kurdish individuals, including three injured and two women, were arrested by Iranian government forces in the cities of Kish, Javanrud, Piranshahr, Baneh, Saqqez, and Sanandaj, and transferred to undisclosed locations.

According to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, those arrested have been identified as Arsalan Salehi, Hoshyar Shabani, Milad Ahani, Mobin Mohammadzadeh, Khosrow Behrang, Shahab Rad, Mehdi Ghabbasiah, Reza Parsapour, Shahriar Moradi, Reza Hematkhani, Farzad Gheysari, Behzad Shakeh, Diako Azimi, Marzieh Moradweisi, and Atiyeh Golchini.

Arsalan Salehi, a resident of Piranshahr, was arrested during a violent raid by Intelligence Ministry forces on his home on the evening of Saturday, January 10, 2026. The arrest was carried out without the presentation of a warrant, and his residence was searched.

Hoshyar Shabani, a former political prisoner and Kurdish civil activist from Baneh, was arrested by government forces in the city on Saturday, January 11.

Earlier, on Thursday, January 8, two residents of Saqqez—Milad Ahani, previously detained during the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, and Mobin Mohammadzadeh—were arrested by government forces using violence.

On the same day, eight residents of Gilan-e Gharb—Khosrow Behrang, Shahab Rad, Mehdi Ghabbasiah, Reza Parsapour, Shahriar Moradi, Reza Hematkhani, Farzad Gheysari, and Behzad Shakeh—were detained by government forces. According to informed sources, Khosrow Behrang, Shahab Rad, and Mehdi Ghabbasiah were arrested while injured.

Separately, Diako Azimi, a resident of Javanrud and a hotel employee living in Kish, was arrested by government forces on Wednesday, January 7, without a warrant.

In the continuation of recent arrests, two women from Sanandaj—Marzieh Moradweisi, a women’s rights activist and member of the charitable campaign “Zhianewe,” and Atiyeh Golchini, also active in women’s rights advocacy—were arrested by government forces in recent days. Hengaw notes that Marzieh Moradweisi has previously faced arrest and judicial sentencing.

All detainees were transferred to undisclosed locations, and no information has been released regarding their whereabouts or physical condition.