213 arrested by security forces of Islamic Republic of Iran in January 2025

Hengaw: Sunday, February 2, 2025

According to data compiled by the Statistics and Documents Center of Hengaw Organization for Human Right, at least 213 people whose full identities have been verified were arrested across Iran by security forces in January 2025. This marks an increase of 60 arrests (approximately 40%) compared to January 2024, when at least 152 people were detained.

Among those arrested, at least 20 women, 3 children, 108 Kurds, 48 Arabs, 32 Balochs, 26 Sunni activists, and 11 Baha’i activists were arrested or abducted by the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran over the past month. 

Geographical distribution of arrests:

The highest number of arrests was recorded in Khuzestan Province, with 50 cases. In West Azerbaijan (Urmia) Province, 46 cases were recorded, while in Kurdistan (Sanandaj) Province, 42 arrests were documented.

 • Khuzestan Province: 50 cases (including 48 Arabs and 2 Lors)
 • West Azerbaijan (Urmia) Province: 46 cases (all of whom were Kurds)
 • Kurdistan (Sanandaj) Province: 42 cases
 • Sistan-Baluchestan Province: 25 cases
 • Kermanshah (Kermashan) Province: 17 cases
 • Isfahan Province: 12 cases
 • Razavi Khorasan Province: 10 cases (including 6 Balochs, 3 Persians, and 1 Kurd)
 • Tehran Province: 4 cases (including 3 Persians and 1 Turk)
 • Ilam Province: 2 cases
 • Kerman Province: 2 cases (including 1 Persian and 1 Baloch)
 • Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Gilan, and Ardabil Provinces: 1 case each

At least 89% of those arrested were among Kurds, Arabs and Balochs.

At least 108 Kurds were arrested by government authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran in January. This figure accounts for 51% of the total arrests across Iran during the past month.

Additionally, during the same period, at least 48 Arabs (22.5%), 32 Balochs (15%), 3 Lors, 2 Turks, and a Gilak were arrested.

Arrests of religious minorities:

The crackdown on religious minorities also continued at an alarming rate in January, with the arrest of 11 Baha’i activists, 2 Yarsani activists, and 26 Sunni activists.

Baha’i Activists Arrested:

    1.    Roya Azadkhosh
    2.    Nasrin Khademi
    3.    Mojgan Pourshefi
    4.    Azita Rezvani Khah
    5.    Boshra Motahar
    6.    Sara Shakib
    7.    Shorangiz Bahamin
    8.    Sanaz Rasteh
    9.    Maryam Khorsandi
    10.    Farkhondeh Rezvanpi
    11.    Firoozeh Rasti-Nejad

Yarsani Activists Arrested:

    1.    Arsalan Fattahi
    2.    Saman Safari from Gahvareh

Sunni Activists Arrested:

 • Ahvaz: Younes Gharbai, Reza Zehiri, Mohammad Silavi, Ali Khezraji, Khalil Kharji, Mohammad Morvani, Reza Shamosi, Mohammad Heidari, Abdulmalek Heidari, and Mohammad Bouazar.
 • Shadegan: Hossein Albuobaid.
 • Sarpol-e Zahab: Hamed Elyasi, Yousef Elyasi, Omar Babayi, Komar Nadery, Yousef Niri, Mohammad Azizi, Mohammad Yousefi, and Armin Moradi.
 • Shahin Dej: Esmail Bahrami.
 • Sarbaz: Amir Baluch.
 • Javanrud: Atila Abdi, Reza Kamrani, Sattar Babayi, Zakaria Firouzbakht, and Edris Abdollahi.

Arrest of 20 women and 3 children in January 2025

At least 20 women and 3 children were arrested in January 2025, accounting for 9% of total arrests.

Women Arrested:
 • Isfahan: Roya Azadkhosh, Nasrin Khademi, Mojgan Pourshefi, Azita Rezvani Khah, Boshra Motahar, Sara Shakib, Shorangiz Bahamin, Sanaz Rasteh, Maryam Khorsandi, Farkhondeh Rezvanpi, and Firoozeh Rasti-Nejad.
 • Bukan: Srveh Shiri, Bafrin Mahmoudi.
 • Sanandaj: Aida Amoui.
 • Ahvaz: Ahlam Bandar.
 • Mahabad: Galawezh Mohammadi-Arshad.
 • Sabzevar: Nahid Malvandi.
 • Sarvabad: Parvin Edavai.
 • Dehgolan: Sohaila Motaei.
 • Tehran: Arghavan Fallahi.

Children arrested:
 • Omar Yar-Ahmadzahi, 18, from Khash.
 • Parsa Rostami, 17, from Sanandaj.
 • Amir Baluch, 17, from Ahvaz.

Arrest of teachers and students:

In January 2025, at least two teachers and university professors arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Arrested Teachers:
 1. Asad Ghafoori from Sanandaj
 2. Hassan Khalili from Sardasht

Arrested Students:
No cases have been recorded.

Arrest of Media Activists in January 2025

In the past month, at least three journalists were arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran:
 • Milad Bahri from Shaygan
 • Mehrdad Aladin from Tehran
 • Nariman Randani from Saqqez

Arrest of Writers and Artists

In January 2025, at least one writer and one artist were arrested:
 • Saeed Esmaeil, a writer from Ahvaz
 • Pezhman Askarpour, an artist from Izeh

The identities of all these 213 cases have been recorded in the Statistics and Documents Center of Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.The use of these statistics is permitted with proper source attribution.