Three Kurds held in legal limbo following arrests in Bojnurd and Quchan

Hengaw – Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Three Kurdish men remain in detention following their arrests by Iranian government forces in the cities of Bojnurd and Quchan. Authorities have not provided clear information regarding the charges against them or their legal status.

According to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Behzad Azarkhesh, 21, a resident of Bojnurd, was arrested on January 11, 2026, without the presentation of a warrant. After undergoing interrogation, he was transferred to Bojnurd Prison. He has been denied access to legal counsel, family visits, and phone contact since his detention.

Mahdi Bahadori, a Kurdish resident of Quchan in Razavi Khorasan Province, was arrested on January 9, 2026. Sources report that force was used during his arrest. Following interrogation at a detention facility in Quchan, he was transferred to the city’s prison.

In a separate case, Behrouz Izanlou, a 39-year-old athlete from Bojnurd and father of two, was arrested on January 4, 2026, during a raid on his home. According to reports, government forces used physical violence and an electric shock device at the time of arrest. After being held in a security detention facility for interrogation, he was transferred to Bojnurd Prison.

Izanlou remains in custody without bail and has been denied temporary release.

No official information has been provided regarding the formal charges, judicial proceedings, or conditions of detention of these three Kurdish detainees.