Kurdish man Zaher Ghorbani arrested after Intelligence Ministry detains father to pressure him to surrender
Hengaw – Thursday, August 20, 2026
Zaher Ghorbani, a Kurdish man from the village of Gavmish Goli in Miandoab County, has been arrested after reporting to the local Intelligence Ministry office and taken to an undisclosed location. His arrest followed the detention of his father, Loghman Ghorbani, in an apparent effort to pressure him to surrender.
According to information obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Intelligence Ministry agents raided the Ghorbani family home on August 14, 2026, seeking to arrest Zaher Ghorbani. When they did not find him, they arrested his father and told the family that he would not be released until Zaher turned himself in.
Two days later, on August 16, Zaher reported to the Intelligence Ministry office in Miandoab, where he was arrested and taken into custody. His father was subsequently released.
Since his arrest, Ghorbani has been denied access to a lawyer of his choosing, telephone calls and family visits. Security and judicial authorities in Miandoab have provided no information regarding the reason for his arrest or any charges against him.
