Turkish civil society activist Gozal Najafi held without resolution for 22 days

Hengaw – Sunday, September 13, 2026

Gozal Najafi, a Turkish civil society activist from Azarshahr (Tufarqan), has been held for 22 days without clear information about her exact place of detention, the charges against her or her health condition.

According to information obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Najafi, 50, was arrested in Azarshahr in late August and has remained in detention since.

Najafi has been active in the fields of civil rights, mother-tongue education and environmental advocacy.

Sources familiar with the case said Iranian security forces arrested Najafi in Azarshahr on August 23, 2026. After being held in the city for one week, she was transferred to Tabriz, where she has remained in detention without resolution.

No further information is available regarding her legal status, the charges against her or her current condition.