Number of Detentions in Mahabad Reaches Nine Within Two Days

June 20, 2025

The number of Kurdish civilians detained in Mahabad has reached nine following a wave of arrests by security forces over a two-day period.

On the morning of Saturday, June 20, 2025, five Kurdish individuals were detained without the presentation of judicial warrants by Iranian security forces. Those detained include: Omid Rash, As'ad Rasoulzadeh, and Nour al-Din Dodkanlou Milan from the village of Kuseh Kahriz; Shaho Mahmoudi from the village of Gugtapeh; and Soran Safari, a resident of Mahabad.

Two days earlier, on Thursday, June 18, four other Kurdish civilians were detained in Mahabad: Keywan Mameh Guli from Gugtapeh, Pouria Nasiri—a law student at Islamic Azad University of Mahabad, Mehran Khediripour, and Soroush Yousefzadeh. These arrests were also carried out without warrants, and all detainees were transferred to undisclosed locations.

According to available information, Pouria Nasiri was arrested in a public street in Mahabad. He had previously been detained by security forces on October 30, 2023. Mehran Khediripour was reportedly detained after voluntarily appearing at the Mahabad Intelligence Office. Soroush Yousefzadeh was arrested at approximately 4:00 AM during a raid on his residence, during which security forces confiscated several of his personal belongings as well as the mobile phones of his father and brother.

As of the time of this report, the reasons for the arrests and any charges brought against these individuals remain unknown. All nine detainees have been taken to unknown locations, and no information regarding their fate or current condition is available.