Ashkhaneh; 4 Days of Detention and No Information on the Fate of Hamid Mohammadzadeh, Kurmanji Kurd and Choukha Wrestling Champion

July 7, 2026; Following four days since the arbitrary arrest of “Hamid Mohammadzadeh,” a young Kurmanji Kurd from Ashkhaneh and a recognized champion of traditional Choukha wrestling, there remains no information regarding his fate or current whereabouts. During this period, he has been strictly denied access to legal counsel, family visitations, and telephone calls.

An informed source confirmed the details to Kurdpa, stating: On Saturday, July 4, 2026, Hamid Mohammadzadeh—a resident of "Biyar" village, a suburb of Ashkhaneh in North Khorasan Province—was arrested after security forces raided his home without presenting a judicial warrant. He was transferred to an undisclosed location, and after four days, his fate and place of detention remain completely unknown.

To date, no information has been made available regarding the reasons for his arrest, and security agencies have provided no official explanation concerning his case. Throughout this period of arbitrary detention, he has been completely barred from contacting his family or accessing a lawyer. Hamid Mohammadzadeh is a popular and widely recognized figure in Choukha wrestling in North Khorasan.

Cultural Context: Koshti ba Choukha (Choukha Wrestling)؛
Koshti ba Choukha derives its name from the "Choukha," a traditional woollen overcoat worn by the wrestlers, with the sport's techniques heavily revolving around gripping this specific attire. In North Khorasan, particularly among the Kurmanji Kurds, this sport is far more than a mere athletic competition; it stands as a core pillar of cultural identity, local rituals, and the region's chivalric (Pahlavani) traditions.