At least 12 Kurds, including two children, arrested across multiple Iranian cities

Hengaw – Sunday, February 8, 2026

At least twelve Kurds, including two children, have been arrested or remain in legal limbo in the cities of Ilam, Kermanshah, Bijar, Arak, Kalat, Oshnavieh, and Miandoab by Iranian government forces.

According to reports received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, these arrests have taken place in recent days and weeks as part of the continuing wave of pressure and detentions targeting the Kurdish population.

Case details, listed by location and from most recent to earlier arrests, are as follows:

Ilam

Ali Namizad, a resident of Ilam and father of two, was arrested during a raid by government forces on his home on February 6, 2026, and transferred to an undisclosed location. He is a local shopkeeper who has repeatedly faced pressure and harassment from government authorities in recent years despite serious health problems. Civil activists had previously prevented the demolition of his home by government bodies.

Saman Cheraghi, from Chavar and residing in Ilam, was arrested by government forces in the city on February 3, 2026, and taken to an undisclosed location. No information about his fate has been released.

Bijar

Sina Sarkani, a 17-year-old child from Bijar County, was arrested by government forces on January 21, 2026, and transferred to the Sanandaj Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center. He was released on bail set at five billion tomans on February 3, 2026, pending completion of legal proceedings and trial.

Kermanshah

Shahab Naderi, a 27-year-old Kurdish man from the Dareh Deraz neighborhood of Kermanshah, was arrested without a court warrant by government forces on February 1, 2026, and transferred to an undisclosed location. Eight days after his arrest, no information has been provided about his status.

Arak

Kaveh Abedi, a 22-year-old Kurdish resident of Arak originally from Kermanshah, was arrested at his family home in Arak by IRGC Intelligence on January 30, 2026. He had previously been detained for three months during the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. Abedi suffers from a chronic skin disease, and lack of access to medication may seriously endanger his health.

Kalat (Razavi Khorasan Province)

Four villagers from Layen in Kalat County — Amir Roshandel, Alireza Iranpour, Ahmad Naderpour, and Sediq Parizad — were arrested by government forces on January 25, 2026. No information has been released about their fate or whereabouts.

Oshnavieh (Shno) and Miandoab

In recent days, two Kurdish residents of Oshnavieh — Dana Rasoulpour and Hazhar Bariki — were arrested by government forces without court warrants and transferred to undisclosed locations.

Mahdi Anvari, a shopkeeper from Khankandi village near Miandoab, was arrested by government intelligence forces during protests in the city on January 8, 2026, at the intersection of 24-Meter Street and Taleghani Street. He was transferred to a government intelligence detention facility. Sources report that charges, including “organizing protests” and “attacking security forces,” have been brought against him. Three other villagers from Khankandi and Tupuzabad — brothers Saeed and Salar Ebrahimzadeh and Farhad Dolatabadi — were arrested at the same time and later released on bail after about one week, while Mahdi Anvari remains in detention.