111 Individuals Arrested in February 2024 by Iranian Security Forces
According to data compiled by the Statistics and Documents Center of the
Hengaw, Monday, March 4, 2024
According to data compiled by the Statistics and Documents Center of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, February 2024 witnessed the arrest of a total of 111 individuals by security forces across Iran. Notably, the majority of these arrests, comprising 52 individuals, were Kurds. The breakdown of the reported arrests is as follows: 52 Kurds, 16 Turkish individuals, and 14 Baloch residents, along with 9 women and 8 children. These individuals were either detained or abducted by the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran during February.
Over 46% of those detained were Kurdish residents.
Hengaw's statistics reveal that in February, the government institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran arrested a minimum of 52 Kurdish individuals. This constitutes more than 46% of the total individuals apprehended throughout the country last month. Breaking down the arrests further, 16 Turkish residents, accounting for 14.5% of cases, and 14 Balochs, making up 13% of cases, were detained. Additionally, three Lor individuals, two Gilak individuals, and an Arab, along with two Pakistani citizens, were also arrested by the security institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran last month.
Detention of Religious Minorities
The detention of followers of religious minorities persisted in February, aligning with the patterns observed in the preceding months. Government institutions continued these arrests, leading to the apprehension of at least nine religious activists within the Islamic Republic of Iran last month. This report discloses that among the arrested religious activists, three were female followers of the Baha'i religion. Furthermore, three Baloch Sunni activists, one Shi'a activist in Qom, and two Pakistani Sunni activists in Qeshm were also detained last month.
Detention of Women and a Child in February
The Statistics and Documents Center of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reports that in the past month, at least nine women activists, including Elham Choubdar, an LGBTQ+ activist, were apprehended by security agencies in Iran, constituting 8% of the total detainees. The detained women were from Bonjord, Marivan, Shiraz (2 cases), Mashhad, Tehran, Shahryar, Zahedan, and Ramsar.
Additionally, within this timeframe, at least eight minors under the age of 18. Six of the arrested children were Kurdish from the cities of Bukan, Saqqez, Qorveh, and Javanroud (3 cases), and two were Baloch children from Zahedan.
Detention of educators, students, and media activists
In February of this year, according to Hengaw statistics, at least two students were arrested in the cities of Zabul and Tehran. It should be mentioned that during February, no teachers were apprehended. Additionally, government institutions in different cities in Iran arrested at least seven journalists and media activists, along with three artists and writers.
The identities of all these 111 cases have been recorded in the Statistics and Documents Center of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights. The use of these statistics is permitted with proper source attribution.
