Widespread Arrests of Civil Activists in Kurdistan: Preventive Crackdown or Effort to Secure Society?

K.M.M.K

Over the past month, a new wave of mass arrests has swept across various cities in Kurdistan, with at least 51 Kurdish citizens detained by Iranian security forces.

According to human rights lawyers, these arrests have been conducted without any solid legal evidence. Detainees have been taken to undisclosed locations, leaving their families and the public in the dark about their fate and current conditions.

Legal experts believe these actions are part of an ongoing effort to securitize Kurdistan and preempt potential protests.

Of those detained, only two individuals, Siamand Seyed Ahmadi and Aram Balki, have been released after several hours of interrogation. The status of the remaining detainees remains uncertain.

Political analysts suggest that the long-standing tradition of civic activism and socio-political engagement in Kurdistan has always posed a challenge for the government, which fears the region’s potential for civil unrest. This apprehension has led to a widespread crackdown, with preventive arrests conducted without judicial warrants.

Names of the Detainees

Mahabad:
• Rebwar Rasouli
• Ayyoub Rasouli
• Yousef Ghal
• Aram Mabzuleh
• Zanyar Seyed Ahmadi (17 years old)
• Siamand Seyed Ahmadi
• Rahman Dana
• Salar Shamsi Borhan
• Osman (Shwaneh) Jahani Far
• Kamal Masoudi
• Chia Nasrollahi
• Nazanin Eliasi
• Abdullah Ghou
• Jalal Sadafi
• Ghader Kheramanfar (60 years old)
• Jamal Sheikhehpour
• Afshin Khalifehzadeh

Sarpol Zahab:
• Omid Salehi (17 years old)
• Ayman Safaei (21 years old)
• Komar Salehi (23 years old)
• Heyman Palani (25 years old)
• Erfan Moradi (25 years old)
• Khaled Kamari (27 years old)
• Payam Ranjbar (27 years old)
• Dana Ahmadi
• Pouya Deljoo
• Yousef Ranjbar

Shnow (Oshnavieh):
• Morad Abdollah Omari
• Nouraldeen Mollalizadeh
• Tofigh Amini
• Mohammad Behroozi
• Rahman Tabesh
• Kourosh Azizi
• Heidi Shadikhah

Bukan:
• Heyman Bahrami (36 years old)
• Soran Arshad
• Kaveh Ostovar
• Afshin Saaedi

Piranshahr:
• Aram Mohammadi
• Behzad Mahmoudi
• Amin Bazian
• Sayko Roj (Viseh Ghafoori)
• Soran Mohammadpour
• Mousa Rasouli

Javanrud:
• Ebrahim Gol Anbar (a member of the Justice-Seeking Families)

Marivan:
• Aram Balki

Sardasht:
• Khaled Mohammadian

Paveh:
• Mamousta Mohammad Mohammadi

This crackdown raises serious concerns about the state’s approach to civil liberties in Kurdistan and highlights the importance of safeguarding the basic rights of the Kurdish community. The international community is called upon to closely monitor these developments and advocate for the protection of human rights in the region.

R.M