Shirzad Payaniani arrested by Intelligence forces in Mahabad

Hengaw – Thursday, August 6, 2026

Shirzad Payaniani, a 32-year-old Kurdish man from Mahabad, was arrested by Iranian Intelligence forces during a raid on his home and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Iranian Intelligence forces raided Payaniani's family home on Monday, August 3, 2026, and arrested him without presenting a judicial warrant.

Four days after his arrest, authorities have not disclosed the reason for his detention, the charges against him, or his whereabouts, despite repeated inquiries by his family and relatives.