303 arbitrary detentions by Iranian government forces in October 2023

Hengaw: Wednesday, November 1st, 2023

According to statistics compiled by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, during the month of October 2023, at least 303 individuals were detained by Iranian government security forces across the country. This figure represents a 34.5% decrease compared to the 463 individuals detained in the previous month of September.
 

Based on this report, a total of 41 Kurdish individuals—184 Baloch descendants, 23 women, 47 children, and 17 Baha'i adherents—were arbitrarily detained and forcibly disappeared by the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the month of October.
 

More than 74% of those detainees are Kurdish and of Baloch descent.

According to Hengaw's statistics, during October, at least 184 Baloch individuals were detained by Iranian government entities, comprising 61% of the total detentions across Iran during the past month.

During the same period, 41 Kurdish individuals were also detained by government security forces, accounting for 13.5% of all detentions.

Furthermore, during the past month, 5 Lor and Bakhtiari individuals and 6 Turkish individuals were detained by security forces.
 

Detained Religious Minority Activists;

Arbitrary detention of religious minority activists continued in October, similar to previous months, with at least 29 religious minority activists detained by government entities. Among those arrested, 17 were Baha'i adherents, including 13 women and 4 men. Additionally, during the past month, ten Sunni figures from various cities around Zahedan, a member of the Darvish Gonabadi committee, and a follower of the Al-Yemani religious movement were detained by Iranian government entities.

Detention of 23 females and 47 minors in October;

According to the statistics at the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, at least 23 females were detained across Iran during the past month. This number accounts for 7.5% of all detentions.
In the last month, at least 13 female Baha'i adherents were arrested.

Additionally, during the same period, 47 minors under the age of 18 were detained or forcibly disappeared by security and government entities across Iran.

Out of these underage minors, 45 were Baloch, and 2 were Kurdish.

Detention of teachers, students, and media activists;

During October 2023, based on Hengaw's statistics, at least 8 students in the cities of Karaj, Zahedan, Tehran, Bampur, Sanandaj, and Mahabad, as well as 7 teachers in the cities of Nowshahr, Shiraz, Fanuj, Nadjafabad, and Tehran, were detained.
 

It is also important to note that during the past month, at least seven journalists and media activists, as well as three artists and actors in various cities across Iran, were detained by government entities.
 

The identities of all these 303 individuals have been recorded in Hengaw’s database. The use of this data while citing the source is authorized.