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IRAN - IHR Warns of Mass Arrests Amid War
March 24, 2026: March 24, 2026 - IRAN. IHR Warns of Mass Arrests Amid War in Iran
Since the start of the war on 28 February, Islamic Republic authorities have announced the arrests of over 2,000 people and IHR has recorded 38 arrests which include human rights defenders and political activists.
IHR expresses deep concern regarding the safety of detainees under wartime conditions and warns of a further intensification of repression in the coming weeks.
Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, Director of the organisation, stated: “The widespread wave of arrests in recent weeks, particularly the detention of civil activists during wartime, once again demonstrates that the Islamic Republic views the Iranian people as the primary threat to its survival.” He added: “While the government’s security and military centres have become targets of attacks, the authorities, by continuing to detain and transfer individuals under such conditions, are effectively using citizens as human shields and deliberately placing their lives at risk.”
Over the past 25 days, the judiciary, the Law Enforcement Command, the Ministry of Intelligence and the Intelligence Organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have each issued statements announcing more than 2,000 arrests in different provinces. The arrests have been carried out without disclosure of the identities of those detained and, in some cases, have involved violence, house searches or transfer to undisclosed locations.
The charges against detainees include cooperation with and espionage for Israel and the United States, photographing sensitive sites and transmitting the images abroad, contact with diaspora Farsi-language media outlets, possession of satellite internet equipment including Starlink receivers, and in some cases attempts to organise anti-government gatherings or engage in armed confrontation with state forces, spreading public alarm, creating societal anxiety and insecurity and disrupting national security online.
At the same time, IHR has documented the arrests of at least 38 human rights defenders, political activists and ordinary citizens. Due to the lack of transparency, it is not clear whether those listed below have been included in the official reports. The nationwide internet shutdown has delayed the reporting of some of these arrests by families and relatives. Below are some of the arrests reported since the start of the war on 28 February:
- - Ameneh Ghasemzadeh, date of arrest unknown, Nazarabad, Karaj
- - Ariyo Moshrefi, 15, date of arrest unknown, Nazarabad, Karaj
- - Soheil Arabi, 40, date unknown, Tehran, human rights activist
- - Manouchehr Aghabeigi, 8 March 2026, Kermanshah, board member of the Kermanshah Teachers’ Trade Union
- - Dasta (Fatemeh) Faraji, 9 March 2026, Arak, arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence, student
- - Anvar Moloudi, 10 March 2026, Mahabad, arrested by the IRGC Intelligence Organisation
- - Osman Baziyari, 10 March 2026, Piranshahr
- - Avat Rostami, 10 March 2026, Mahabad, arrested by the IRGC Intelligence Organisation
- - Abbas Danesh, 11 March 2026, Tehran, arrested by the IRGC Intelligence Organisation, Iranian-Austrian dual national
- - Sima Chambari, 12 March 2026, Neyshabur, undergraduate chemistry student, University of Rasht
- - Omid Khorshidi, 14 March 2026, Saqqez
- - Sobhan Azizi, 14 March 2026, Saqqez
- - Hossein Afrasiab, 14 March 2026, Shahin Shahr, Isfahan, protest rapper, arrested by the IRGC Intelligence
- - Ali Razagh, 15 March 2026, Tehran, brother of political activist Hossein Razagh in Germany, arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence
- - Mojgaan Ilanlu, 15 March 2026, Tehran, documentary filmmaker
- - Mohammad Pirhadi, 15 March 2026, Tehran, film producer
- - Leila Pirhadi, 15 March 2026, Tehran, Mojgan Ilanlu and Mohammad Pirhadi’s child
- - Sasan Chamanara, 16 March 2026, Ilam, artist
- - Parastoo Chamanara, 16 March 2026, Ilam, university staff member
- - Leila Mirghafari, 17 March 2026, Tehran, women’s rights activist
- - Moslem Zarei, 17 March 2026, Kermanshah, confiscation of personal belongings
- - Nima Hemmati, 18 March 2026, Isfahan, postgraduate student
- - Mahan Hemmati, 18 March 2026, Isfahan, technology activist
- - Ahmad Rahimi, 18 March 2026, Mashhad, doctor and university lecturer
- - Sohila Hosseini, 18 March 2026, Mashhad, artist (painter and animator)
- - Mansour Abdollahzadeh, 18 March 2026, Naqadeh
- - Afsaneh Roozbehani, 19 March 2026, Nahavand, family seeking justice
- - Behnoosh Darvishi, 19 March 2026, Nahavand, family seeking justice
- - Kiavash Amini, 19 March 2026, Bukan, mountaineer
- - Avat Sarkali, 20 March 2026, Mahabad
- - Jalal Alavi, 20 March 2026, Mahabad
- - Vahab Hosseinzadeh, 20 March 2026, Mahabad
- - Kaveh Abdollahzadeh, 20 March 2026, Mahabad
- - Hovyar Zahabi, 21 March 2026, Mahabad
- - Reza Dalman, 21 March 2026, Tehran, Sharif University student
- - Zahra Hojat, 21 March 2026, Mashhad, arrested by the IRGC Intelligence Organisation, children and disabilities rights activist
- - Yasmin Rahmarde, 21 March 2026, Yazd, Baha’i citizen, arrested by Ministry of Intelligence
- - Shayan Abadi, 23 March 2026, Kerman, Baha’i citizen, arrested by Ministry of Intelligence
https://iranhr.net/en/articles/8657/ (Source: IHR)
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