127 arrested by security forces of Islamic Republic of Iran in March 2025

Hengaw: Tuesday, April 1, 2025

According to data compiled by the Statistics and Documents Center of Hengaw Organization for Human Right, at least 127 people, whose full identities have been verified, were arrested across Iran in March 2025 by security forces. This represents a 101.5% increase compared to March 2024, when at least 63 arrests were reported.

At least 17 women activists, 8 children, 66 Kurds, 30 Balochs, and 11 Lors were arrested or abducted by the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran over the past month. The highest number of arrests was recorded in West Azerbaijan (Urmia) Province, with 33 cases.

Geographical distribution of arrests:

The highest number of arrests was recorded in West Azerbaijan (Urmia) Province with 33 cases, followed by Kurdistan (Sanandaj) Province with 32 cases, and Sistan and Baluchestan Province with 28 cases.

 • West Azerbaijan (Urmia): 33 (including 30 Kurds and 3 Turks)
 • Kurdistan (Sanandaj): 32
 • Sistan and Baluchestan: 28
 • Khuzestan: 10 (9 Lors, 1 Arab)
 • Tehran: 8 (6 Persian, 2 Turk)
 • East Azerbaijan: 3
 • Ilam: 2
 • Razavi Khorasan: 2 (1 Kurd, 1 Persian)
 • Hormozgan: 2 (2 Baloch)
 • Kermanshah, Lorestan, Markazi, Semnan, Gilan, Ardabil, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad: 1 each

Breakdown of arrested by national and ethnic minorities

At least 66 Kurds were arrested by the governmental institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the month of March, accounting for 52% of all arrests across Iran during the past month. Additionally, at least 30 Balochs (23.5%) and 11 Lors (8.5%) were also arrested during the same period.

 • Kurds: 66 (52%)
 • Baloch: 30 (23.5%)
 • Lors: 11 (8.5%)
 • Turks: 9
 • Persians: 9
 • Gilak: 1
 • Arab: 1

Arrests of religious minority

The arrest of followers of religious and faith minorities in Iran continued during the month of March, following the same pattern as in previous months. During this month, at least one Bahaʼí, one Yarsan, and one Sunni activist was arrested.

Their names are listed as follows.

 • Baha’i activist: Anisa Fanaeian (Semnan)
 • Yarsan activist: Mojtaba Vaisi (Kermanshah)
 • Sunni activist: Zahed Shahabi (Saqqez)

Arrest of at least 8 children under the age of 18 in March 2025

At least 8 children under the age of 18 were arrested by security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the past month. This figure represents 6% of the total number of arrests in March.

At least two of the detained children were girls, and the youngest arrested child was just 10 years old.

According to the report, 6 of the arrested children were Kurdish and 2 were Baloch.

Their identities are listed as follows:
 • Avin Ahmadi (16, Urmia)
 • Sarya Ahmadi (17, Urmia)
 • Shakar Mohammadzadeh (10, Sardasht)
 • Briyar Mohammadyani (14, Sardasht)
 • Keyhan Tadberi (17, Marivan)
 • Mohammad Ghaderi (17, Marivan)
 • Yousef Rasaneh (16, Rask)
 • Saeedi Kordi Tamandani (15, Khash)

17 Women activists arrested in March

At least 17 female activists were arrested by security forces over the past month. This accounts for 13.5% of the total number of arrests in March.

At least 9 of the arrested women, comprising 53% of the total female arrests, are Kurdish women activists. Their names are as follows:

 • Sanandaj: Leila Pashaei (from Saqqez), Baran Saeidi, Soma Mohammadzadeh, Shno Mohammadi
 • Tehran: Sedigheh Noorbala, Fatemeh Atashi Khiavi (from Ardabil), Marziyeh Ghafari Zadeh, Leila Qolikhani Ganjeh
 • Urmia: Rojbin Afsoon, Avin Ahmadi, Sarya Ahmadi
 • Tabriz: Sima Alipour
 • Dehdasht: Mehregan Namavar
 • Dehgolan: Soheila Motaei
 • Rasht: Nina Golestani
 • Sardasht: Arezoo Jalilzadeh
 • Semnan: Anisa Fanaeian

Arrest of teachers and students:

During March 2025, at least one teacher was arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
 • Teachers arrested: Arezoo Jalilzadeh
 • Students arrested: No cases reported

Arrest of media activists in March 2025
 
No media activists were reported arrested last month.

Arrest of writers and artists

During March 2025, at least three singers — Fouad Keshavarz from Saqqez, Karwan Dafe’i from Marivan, and Sohrab Pakzad from Tehran — as well as three writers — Mehregan Namavarez from Dehdasht, Nina Golestani from Rasht, and Behzad Dafe’i from Marivan — were arrested by government forces.

The identities of all these 127 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.