Two Turkmen detainees remain held 48 days after arrest following recent protests

Hengaw – Thursday, February 26, 2026

Farhad Aghnejad and Younes Shekari, two Turkmen residents of Gonbad-e Kavus in Golestan province, remain in detention 48 days after their arrest during recent protests in the city.

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, both men, aged 29, have been held in prolonged detention without clarity regarding their legal status. Serious concerns have been raised about their health.

They were arrested on the evening of Friday, January 9, 2026, amid protests in Gonbad-e Kavus and are currently being held in the city’s central prison.

Hengaw has learned that the two detainees have been denied access to legal counsel and family visits. Their current legal status and any charges against them remain unclear.