In Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province, the Kurdish civilian Omid Fagheh-Hosseinzadeh was arrested by security forces on 11 February. Four days later, his current location remains a mystery, shrouded in uncertainty as he has been whisked away to an undisclosed site. Since his detention, he has not been permitted legal representation or contact with his family, deepening the concerns for his wellbeing.
Further complicating the situation, seven other Kurdish civilians, including Fayegh Rashidian and Farzad Nouri, have also been detained following recent arrests by security forces in various locations such as Baneh and Saqqez. It appears the clampdown on Kurdish individuals is intensifying, invoking fear and anxiety among the community.
Among these detainees, Farzad Mardoukhi was apprehended for his participation in the Women, Life, Freedom protests late last year. Meanwhile, the family of Peyman Menbari, a protester killed during the uprising, is facing harassment and legal actions from security services, highlighting the broader crackdown on dissenting voices in the region.
Furthermore, Hawre Shafei from Saqqez was seized by Ministry of Intelligence agents on 5 February while at work, and like Fagheh-Hosseinzadeh, he is held in an unspecified location with no clarity on the charges against him. This ongoing climate of fear reinforces the urgent need for transparency and accountability in the region’s law enforcement practices.
Omid Fagheh-Hosseinzadeh, a Kurdish civilian, was arrested on 11 February in Mahabad, and his whereabouts remain unknown, with no access to legal counsel. Seven other Kurdish civilians from several locations continue to be held in detention, and the family of a deceased protester is reportedly facing significant pressure from security forces. Hawre Shafei is the latest to be arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence without clear charges.
The patterns emerging from these arrests illustrate a troubling trend of increasing repression against Kurdish civilians in Iran. The cases of Omid Fagheh-Hosseinzadeh and others underline a grave disregard for legal rights and personal freedoms. As communities face intensified scrutiny and hostility, it becomes imperative to advocate for the protection of all individuals unjustly detained by security forces.
Original Source: kurdistanhumanrights.org
