Former Iranian and world wrestling champion Saman Pashaei was arrested without a court order at the entrance to Saqqez, Kurdistan province, on 2 July, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned.
Security forces beat Pashaei during his detention, raided his home and confiscated his personal belongings, sources told KHRN.
After his arrest, the athlete was transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence detention centre in Sanandaj, Kurdistan province.
Pashaei, who is also a university professor and sports coach, was summoned and interrogated by the Ministry of Intelligence in Sanandaj two weeks ago, KHRN has learned.
The athlete’s arrest coincided with a wave of arrests, including in the town of Saqqez, the birthplace of Jina Mahsa Amini, as the anniversary of the 2022 protests approaches.
Pashaei, who has a doctorate in physiology and is a professor of sports nutrition and physiology at Azad University in Saqqez, is a member of the American National Academy of Sports Medicine and a former Greco-Roman wrestling world champion.
Sardar Pashaei, a former coach of the Iranian national wrestling team and brother of Saman Pashaei, confirmed his brother’s arrest on his Twitter account on 3 July.
