At least six children arrested across multiple Iranian cities
Hengaw – Friday, February 13, 2026
At least six children under the age of 18 have been arrested by Iranian government forces in the cities of Neyshabur, Qazvin, Isfahan, Azadshahr, Ahvaz, and Gonbad-e Kavus, according to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.
With these latest cases, Hengaw has now verified the identities of at least 232 children detained during the December protests.
Details of the cases are as follows:
Neyshabur
Amirhossein Darabi, a 15-year-old from Neyshabur, was arrested by government forces on January 11, 2026, during protests in the city. According to received reports, he was subjected to torture during interrogation and forced to give confessions. He was transferred about three weeks ago to a juvenile detention center in Mashhad and has since been denied contact and family visits without clear justification.
Qazvin
Sarina Rezaei, a 17-year-old Turkish student in the 11th grade from Qazvin, was arrested during protests in the city and transferred to Qazvin Prison. According to sources, her mother is also currently detained in Choobindar Prison in Qazvin.
Isfahan
Mobina Ashouri, a 17-year-old high school senior from Isfahan, was violently arrested by government forces on December 31, 2025, in Naqsh-e Jahan Square. Since her arrest, she has been subjected to enforced disappearance. Despite repeated family inquiries, no security or judicial authority has provided information about her location or health status.
Azadshahr (Golestan Province)
Abbas Nio (Bajizehi), a 16-year-old Baloch originally from Zahedan and residing in Azadshahr, was arrested by IRGC Intelligence forces on January 10, 2026, during protests. Sources close to the family report that he was severely tortured for several days in an IRGC detention facility before being transferred to a juvenile correction center in Gorgan. He has been denied access to legal counsel and faces accusations of “leading protests.”
Ahvaz
Emad Hamidi, a 15-year-old Arab child from Ahvaz, has been in detention for approximately three weeks following his arrest by government forces. No information has been released regarding his place of detention or condition.
Gonbad-e Kavus
Eiltay Akhoundi, a 14-year-old Turkmen child from Gonbad-e Kavus, was arrested by government forces on January 9, 2026, and transferred to a juvenile detention center in Gorgan. He has been subjected to psychological pressure, torture, and forced confessions while in custody.
