Nine, including two women and a minor, arrested in five Iranian cities
Hengaw – Thursday, February 5, 2026
At least nine people, including two women and one minor, have been arrested by Iranian government authorities in recent weeks across the cities of Tabriz, Tehran, Kerman, Rasht, and Chabahar. The fate and legal status of several of those detained remain unknown.
According to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the identities of the detainees have been verified as Mona Noruzi, Mahtab Salehi, Ali Gilani, Amirmohammad Sarhadi, Pouria Mirzaei, Mohammad Mohammadian, Hamid Haj Jafar Kashani, Arshia Nikchehreh, and a Baloch minor identified as Azim Mohammadi. Further details are as follows:
Chabahar
Azim Mohammadi, a 17-year-old Baloch minor from Chabahar in Sistan and Balochistan Province, was arrested by government forces during protests in the city on October 10, 2025. No information has since been released regarding his place of detention or condition.
Tehran
Mona Noruzi, a 45-year-old physiotherapist, was arrested at her home in Tehran on January 19, 2026, and transferred to an undisclosed location.
Hamid Haj Jafar Kashani, 43, a former referee and former political prisoner, was also arrested in Tehran and transferred to Great Tehran Penitentiary. No details have been provided regarding the charges against him.
Tabriz
Mahtab Salehi, a 33-year-old French language student, was arrested in Tabriz on January 8, 2026. Authorities have set bail at 3 billion tomans for her temporary release. Sources report that her family has been placed under pressure by government authorities.
Kerman
Ali Gilani, Amirmohammad Sarhadi, Pouria Mirzaei, and Mohammad December were arrested during the January protests in Kerman. On January 14, 2026, the IRGC-affiliated Mehr News Agency published a video of their forced confessions, labeling them as responsible for setting fire to a mourning station at Kosar Square. Sources say the case construction and broadcast confessions have placed them at risk of heavy sentences.
Rasht
Arshia Nikchehreh, a resident of Rasht, Gilan Province, and a bodybuilding champion, was arrested by government forces on January 26, 2026. No information has been released about his whereabouts or legal status.
