125 arrested by security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in February 2025

Hengaw: Monday, March 3, 2025

According to data compiled by the Statistics and Documents Center of Hengaw Organization for Human Right, at least 125 people, whose full identities have been verified, were arrested across Iran by security forces during February 2025. This figure represents an increase of 14 cases (equivalent to 12.5%) compared to the same period last year when at least 111 people were arrested in February 2024.

Among those arrested or abducted by Iran’s security forces last month were at least 10 female activists, 4 children, 46 Kurds, 27 Balochs, 15 Lors, 4 Baha’i activists, and 3 Christian activists.

Geographical distribution of arrests:

The highest number of arrests was recorded in Sistan- Baluchestan province with 26 cases, followed by West Azerbaijan (Urmia) province with 23 cases, and Kurdistan (Sanandaj) province with 19 cases.

    •    Sistan- Baluchestan: 26 cases
    •    West Azerbaijan (Urmia): 23 cases (including 22 Kurds and 1 Turk)
    •    Kurdistan (Sanandaj): 19 cases
    •    Tehran: 18 cases (including 12 Persians, 1 Qashqai, 1 Turk, and 3 unidentified nationalities)
    •    Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad: 15 cases
    •    Kermanshah (Kermashan): 4 cases
    •    Gilan and East Azerbaijan: 3 cases each
    •    Markazi, Alborz, and Razavi Khorasan: 2 cases each
    •    Kerman: 2 cases (2 British citizens)
    •    Isfahan, Fars, Hamedan, and Mazandaran: 1 case each
    •    Khuzestan: 1 case (a Kurd)
    •    Hormozgan: 1 case (a Baloch)

Breakdown of arrested by national and ethnic minorities

At least 46 Kurds were arrested by the government institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in February. This number accounts for 37% of the total arrests across Iran last month.

Additionally, at least 27 Balochs (21.5%) and 15 Lors (12%) were also arrested.

    •    Kurds: 46 cases
    •    Balochs: 27 cases
    •    Lors: 15 cases
    •    Turks: 5 cases
    •    Gilak and Mazanis: 4 cases
    •    Qashqais: 1 case
    •    Unidentified: 3 cases
    •    Persians: 22 cases
    •    British citizens: 2 cases

Arrests of religious minorities

The arrest of followers of religious and faith minorities in Iran continued in February, following the usual pattern. During this month, at least 4 Baha’i activists, 3 Christian activists, and 2 Sunni Muslim activists were arrested. Their names are as follows:

Baha’i Activists:
    1.    Erfan Eshraghi – from Karaj
    2.    Fariba Misaghi – from Karaj
    3.    Nazila Khanipour – from Rasht
    4.    Visal Heravi – from Rasht

Christian Activists:
    1.    Naser Norde Goltapeh – from Parand
    2.    Joseph Shahbazian – from Tehran
    3.    Somayeh Tajbi – from Babol

Sunni Muslim Activists:
    1.    Imran Salami – from Sarbaz
    2.    Abdolbasir Shahouzehi – from Delgan

Arrest of 10 women and 4 children in February 2025

At least 10 female activists were arrested by security institutions last month, accounting for 8% of the total arrests in February. Their names are as follows:

    •    Tehran:
    1.    Saeedeh Montazeri
    2.    Minu Rozedar
    3.    Golareh Abbasi
    4.    Hiwa Seifizadeh
    •    Rasht:
 5.⁠ ⁠Hamideh Zarei
 6.⁠ ⁠Nazila Khanipour
    •    Dehdasht:
 7.⁠ ⁠Atefeh Tahernia
    •    Babol:
 8.⁠ ⁠Somayeh Rajabi
    •    Karaj:
 9.⁠ ⁠Fariba Misaghi
    •    British Citizen:
10.⁠ ⁠Lindsey Foreman

Additionally, at least 4 children under the age of 18 were arrested by security forces. Three of them are Lor and one is Baloch. Their names are as follows:

    1.    Khaled Kashani, 17 years old – from Zahedan (Baloch)
    2.    Amir Hossein Jafari, 17 years old – from Dehdasht (Lor)
    3.    Kamran Bozari, 16 years old – from Dehdasht (Lor)
    4.    Abolfazl Ghasemzadeh, 16 years old – from Dehdasht (Lor)

Arrest of teachers and students:

In February 2025, security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran continued their pressure on teachers and students. At least four students and one teacher were arrested during this period.

Teacher Arrested:
    1.    Abolfazl Khoran – from Arak

Students Arrested:
    1.    Soroush Nourbakhsh – from Mahabad
    2.    Majid Shia-Ali – from Mashhad
    3.    Amirhossein Gohari – student at University of Tehran
    4.    Bakhshan Alimohammadi – student of the University of Tehran

Arrest of media activists in February 2025

In the past month, at least two journalists and one photographer were arrested by security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Their names are as follows:

    1.    Mehdi Nasiri – from Mashhad
    2.    Mehdi Mahmoudian – from Tehran

Photographer Arrested:
    3.    Salar Saedmocheshi – from Sanandaj

Arrest of writers and artists

In February 2025, at least three artists were arrested by government forces. Their names are as follows:
    1.    Khosrow Azarbeyg – from Azarshahr
    2.    Arash Sayyadi – from Shiraz
    3.    Hiwa Seifizadeh – from Tehran

The identities of all these 125 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.