Security forces raided Behnaz Mahjoubi’s workplace and arrested her without stating any charges. This arrest is part of the systematic pressure on the families of justice-seeking victims.
Sudden Arrest at Workplace
Iran Human Rights Society, Saturday, June 28, 2025 – On the morning of Saturday, June 28, 2025, security agents affiliated with the regime’s repressive institutions stormed the workplace of Behnaz Mahjoubi, the sister of the late Behnam Mahjoubi, arresting her and transferring her to an undisclosed location. Local sources report that the agents, dressed in plain clothes and without presenting an official judicial warrant, carried out the arrest.
The arrest of Behnaz Mahjoubi comes amid intensified pressure in recent months on the families of victims and those killed during arrests and public protests. These arrests are seen as an attempt to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation to silence public demands for justice.
Complete Uncertainty Surrounding Behnaz Mahjoubi’s Status and Whereabouts
Behnaz Mahjoubi’s mother, in a published video, confirmed her daughter’s arrest and stated that she has no information regarding her whereabouts, the detaining authority, or the reason for the arrest. She declared:
“Behnaz suffers from a heart condition. If anything happens to her, the Kerman Intelligence Agency and IRGC Intelligence will be directly responsible.”
According to family associates, security agents have not made any official contact or provided information. Behnaz Mahjoubi’s health condition, given her history of chronic illness, has raised serious concerns among her loved ones and the justice-seeking community.
Behnam Mahjoubi: A Symbol of Gonabadi Dervishes’ Resistance in Prison
Behnam Mahjoubi, Behnaz’s brother and a Gonabadi Dervish, was arrested during the Golestan Seventh protests. After months of psychological and physical torture in Evin Prison, he died on February 17, 2021, following three days in a coma and a lack of effective medical care at Loghman Hospital. Medical reports indicated he suffered from panic disorder, and doctors explicitly stated he was unfit to endure imprisonment. Despite this medical opinion, the regime disregarded the recommendations and kept him incarcerated for months.
During his detention, Behnam Mahjoubi repeatedly protested the inhumane prison conditions, went on hunger strikes, and was denied timely access to necessary medications despite his deteriorating health. He was eventually transferred to Aminabad Psychiatric Hospital, where his condition worsened, exhibiting symptoms such as loss of speech and motor control. This deliberate neglect of his physical and mental health ultimately led to his death under opaque circumstances.
Delayed Disconnection of Life Support: Security Interference Even in Death
According to Loghman Hospital staff, Behnam Mahjoubi’s death was officially declared at 2:00 PM on February 17, 2021. However, security institutions present at the hospital delayed the disconnection of his life-support devices for hours. This delay clearly demonstrates the security apparatus’s control over medical decisions, even in the final moments of a political prisoner’s life.
Behnam Mahjoubi’s case is a prominent example exposing the brutality of the regime’s security-judicial system in dealing with protesters. Now, with the arrest of his sister, Behnaz Mahjoubi, the repressive apparatus has once again sent a clear message to justice-seeking families: silence or suppression.
Families pursuing justice, transparency, and accountability for those killed in detention or during street protests have faced relentless harassment in recent years, including mass arrests, threats, travel bans, fabricated charges, and even property confiscation.
The treatment of Behnaz Mahjoubi is part of the regime’s security strategy to silence voices of resistance. Arrests without warrants, lack of information about detainees’ whereabouts, and disregard for their health conditions are hallmark features of this pattern.
Violations of Human Rights in the Cases of Behnam and Behnaz Mahjoubi
This case involves clear violations of several articles of international human rights instruments:
– Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR):
“No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention.”
Arrest without a legal warrant is a clear violation of this article.
– Article 7 of the ICCPR:
“No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.”
Forced confessions, neglect of mental health, and transfer to a psychiatric hospital for political reasons are evident violations of this article.
– Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal.”
The judicial process leading to Behnam Mahjoubi’s imprisonment was riddled with glaring legal flaws.
– Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with their privacy or family.”
The arrest of a victim’s sister without formal charges is a clear example of repressive interference in family life.
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