Two Sunni Arab religious activists detained in Ahvaz, whereabouts unknown

Hengaw – Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Two Sunni Arab religious activists, Amer Kaabi and Riyadh Zohairi, were arrested by Ministry of Intelligence forces, and their whereabouts have remained unknown for nearly two weeks.

According to information obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Kaabi and Zohairi, both residents of the Mollasheyeh district of Ahvaz, were arrested on the evening of July 7, 2026, while performing the Isha (night) prayer in Hamidiyeh County by agents of Ministry of Intelligence.

Intelligence agents affiliated with the Hamidiyeh Intelligence Office entered the prayer site without presenting a warrant and detained the two men during the prayer.

Nearly two weeks after their arrest, there is still no information regarding their whereabouts, condition, or the charges against them. Repeated inquiries by their families to security agencies and judicial authorities in Hamidiyeh and Ahvaz have yielded no information, with officials refusing to provide any clear answers.