17-year-old athlete Benyamin Vahidi arrested to serve prison sentence in Bojnord

Hengaw – Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026

Benyamin Vahidi, a 17-year-old athlete from Bojnord who competes in boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA), has been arrested by Iranian security forces to serve a prison sentence imposed in connection with the January 2026 protests.

According to information obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Vahidi was recently arrested after security forces raided his family home in Bojnord, the capital of North Khorasan province. The officers used severe physical violence during the arrest.

Since his arrest, Vahidi’s whereabouts have remained unknown. Security authorities informed his family that he would be denied telephone calls and family visits until the monetary fine imposed in his case is paid in full.

Vahidi was previously sentenced by the Bojnord Revolutionary Court to two years in prison and fined 100 million tomans in connection with the January 2026 protests. He was convicted on charges including “disrupting public order,” “damaging public property,” and “assaulting government officers.”

The proceedings were conducted in absentia, without legal representation, and in a process that lacked transparency.