The security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have detained at least 24 Kurdish civilians and political activists across the country since 9 January, informed sources told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN).
The detentions were carried out in the cities of Mahabad, Bukan, Rabat in West Azerbaijan Province, and Sanandaj, Marivan, and Sarvabad in Kurdistan Province, as well as in Tehran and Karaj.
Most recently, a Kurdish activist was taken into custody by security forces in Marivan on January 12.
The security forces carried out the detentions without an arrest warrant, using verbal and, in some cases, physical violence. The homes and workplaces of many detainees were searched and some of their personal belongings – including cell phones, laptops, and other items – were confiscated.
A number of detainees in the cities of Mahabad, Bukan, Tehran, and Karaj have had the opportunity to have of a brief phone call with their families two days after their detentions. They told their families that they were detained in the 7 Tir security detention centre located in the Al-Mahdi camp of Orumiyeh, which is under the supervision of the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Reportedly, those detained in Sanandaj, Marivan and Sarvabad were transferred to the Shahramfar Detention Center of the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC in Sanandaj. Sources in the city also reported the detention of more activists in Sanandaj, but KHRN has not yet been able to confirm this news and identities of these people.

Kaveh Kermanshahi, a member of the board of directors of KHRN, said the number of recent detainees may be higher than what has been reported and added, “Most of the recent detainees have been active in various areas of civil, cultural, environmental, and student life, and some of them are ordinary citizens. The security forces not only have not provided any court order or legal reason for their detention, but also have arbitrarily and illegally taken them into custody while resorting to verbal and physical violence. Even despite the follow up of their families, no charges have yet been formally filed against the detainees.”
Kermanshahi described the detentions as a continuation of the constant pressure on civilians and activists who criticize the policies of the government. He further said, “This is not a new approach and has never stopped so that we talk about its re-emergence. We only witness the intensification of this process at various periods, such as the recent detention of at least 24 people in just four days in various cities, which is a continuation of the usual process of arresting and repressing Kurdish citizens and activists.”
Referring to similar cases of mass detentions in recent years, Kermanshahi said security scenarios and pressure for forced confessions by intelligence agencies are one of the common methods after such mass detentions. He added, “It appears that some of these simultaneous and mass detentions have taken place by the intelligence agencies in connection with filing a joint case.”
Kermanshahi expressed concern about the possibility of new scenarios and cases being fabricated, the continued detention of detainees, the conditions of their detention, as well as the possibility of using psychological pressure and physical torture to suppress them. He called on the public, organizations, and human rights activists to object to the detentions, and while supporting all political prisoners and detainees, demand their immediate release from the security institutions and judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

According to the information received by KHRN, which is also confirmed by its informed sources, the names, location, and date of detention of 24 Kurdish civilians and activists during the recent wave of arrests in several cites are as follows:
Saturday, 9 January 2021:
Asrin Mohammadi in Tehran
Aram Yousefi in Sanandaj
Farzad Samani and Sohaib Badrouj in Karaj
Shapol Khezri, Darya Talebani, Salar Rahavi, Sirwan Nouri, Afshin Mamahmadi, Sirwan Hosseinzadeh, and Iman Abdi in Mahabad
Bahman Yousefzadeh, Farhad Musapour, and Fereydoun Musapour in Rabat
Azima Naseri in Bukan
Dana Samadi, Sirvan Karimzadeh, Karvan Minouyi, and Zanyar Motamedi in Marivan Sunday, 10 January 2021:
Jabar Pirouzi in Marivan
Monday, 11 January 2021:
Hossein Gardeshi in Bukan
Tuesday, 12 January 2021:Adel Parvazeh in Marivan
Siamak Adwai and Akram Adwai in Sarvabad