Kurdish blogger Sairan Arabi arrested by cyber police in Mahabad

Hengaw – Sunday, August 23, 2026

Sairan Arabi, a young Kurdish blogger from Mahabad, has been arrested by the city’s cyber police and transferred to a court in Mahabad. Her Instagram account has also been blocked by judicial order.

According to information obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Arabi was arrested by Iran’s Cyber Police (FATA) in Mahabad on August 23, 2026, and her personal Instagram account was subsequently blocked on the orders of judicial authorities.

The Mahabad police chief told state media that Arabi was arrested over posts authorities contained insulting and mocking remarks about Mohammad Mamle, a prominent Kurdish singer. The posts had prompted criticism from some of the singer’s supporters.

The police chief said the arrest was carried out by the cyber police under a special judicial order.

Before her arrest, Arabi had published several videos apologizing to Mamle’s family and the public and had removed the post in question.

Arabi’s arrest, the blocking of her social media account and the judicial action against her over disputed online content, alongside the social pressure and backlash she faced, raise concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression at both the state and societal levels. The right to freedom of expression protects the ability to express opinions, including controversial or unpopular views, without facing threats, intimidation or disproportionate punishment. Any legal restrictions on this right must be lawful, necessary and proportionate, in accordance with international human rights standards.