Naqadeh; Continued Arbitrary Detention and Uncertainty Regarding the Fate of Alan Hekmatirad, English Language Teacher

May 1, 2026; Alan Hekmatirad, an English language teacher from Mahabad, was arrested by security forces on April 7, 2026, and is being held in Naqadeh Prison in a state of uncertainty under a temporary detention order.

According to an informed source, this English language teacher was arrested by security forces on one of the streets of Mahabad without the presentation of a judicial warrant. Furthermore, these forces confiscated and took away some of the Hekmatirad family's personal belongings, including laptops, hard drives, and books.

The informed source added: This citizen was transferred to an unknown location after his arrest, and in recent days, his family was informed that their son has been transferred to Naqadeh Prison.

Alan Hekmatirad holds a Master’s degree in English Language and Literature.

As of the publication of this news, there is no information available regarding the reasons for the arrest or the charges brought against this Kurdish citizen. Furthermore, he has been deprived of the right to access a lawyer and visits with his family.