Wave of arrests continues as eight Kurds detained across six cities

Hengaw – Sunday, February 15, 2026

Iranian government forces have detained at least eight Kurdish men in the cities of Kamyaran, Eslamabad-e Gharb (Shabad), Mahabad, Oshnavieh (Shno), Sanandaj (Sine), and Bukan.

Based on information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the arrests were carried out in recent weeks, and in several cases authorities did not present a warrant. No precise information is available regarding the detainees’ whereabouts or any charges against them.

Kamyaran

Farouq Nadimi, 27, was arrested on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at his workplace, a locksmith shop in Kamyaran, and transferred to an undisclosed location.

Peyman Rahmani, also from Kamyaran, was arrested more than one month ago, several days after the January 8 protests. He had been injured by pellet gun fire from government forces prior to his arrest and was subsequently transferred to an undisclosed location.

Eslamabad-e Gharb (Shabad)

Ali Balaei, a resident of Eslamabad-e Gharb and the brother of Shirzad Balaei, one of the victims of the recent protests, was arrested on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at Farhangian Square in the city. Authorities did not present a warrant at the time of arrest.

Mahabad

Jalal Khediripour, a resident of the village of Gavazleh in the Sharvyran district of Mahabad, was arrested on Monday, February 2, 2026, during a raid on his family home. He was transferred to a detention facility operated by the Intelligence Department in Urmia.

Oshnavieh (Shno)

Hazhar Ebrahimi, 23, was arrested on the evening of February 13, 2026, by agents of the Intelligence Department and transferred to an undisclosed location.

Sanandaj

Sabah Salehi and Omid Ostadi were arrested on Saturday, February 14, 2026, in the Hassanabad neighborhood of Sanandaj, in front of their workplaces.

Bukan

Parviz Bangini was arrested on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, during a raid by Intelligence Department agents on his family home. Authorities did not present a warrant. During the raid, agents confiscated his mobile phone and the phones of his family members, and several relatives were reportedly beaten. He was transferred to an undisclosed location.

No precise information is available concerning the detention locations, legal status, or charges against these individuals.