Hundreds of citizens arrested during Iran’s 2026 nationwide protests. Reports detail mass detentions across provinces, targeting women, youth, and Baha’i individuals amid ongoing demonstrations in late 2025–early 2026.
Iran Human Rights Society, Wednesday, January 21, 2026 – Amid the continuation of the nationwide protests of 2026, a new wave of widespread and arbitrary arrests has been reported in various cities across the country. According to announcements from security-linked media and official statements, hundreds of protesting citizens, including women, youth, and Baha’i citizens, have been arrested or summoned in numerous provinces. This has heightened concerns about intensified repression and violations of the basic rights of detainees.
Oshnavieh: Bahman Rasoulian Isfahan: Amirhossein Ghaderzadeh, Javid Khales Bukan: Soleiman Karimi, Fayeq Abdullahzadeh Behshahr: Morteza Biglarbeigi Tehran: Shima Ghosheh (court lawyer), Mani Eidi, Aref Hadi Nezhad, Amin Asinian, Shahin Shokoohi, Sarira Karimi, Homayoun Eftakhari Nia, Ghazal Vakili Javanrud: Mohammad Hejrani, Kamran Moradi, Aram Saedian, Yahya Darvishi, Mahan Azami Dehdasht: Babak Armin Dehglan: Khabat Amiri, Pouria Alizadeh, Rasoul Fathi Rasht: Shahrzad Rezaei, Behrang Norouzi, Majid Shoghi Sanandaj: Fouad Enayati, Shahrzad Zamani Shahr-e Kord: Nemat Riahi, Bashir Riahi Kamyaran: Mardin Nedimi, Artin Nedimi Karaj: Sina Nazari, Parsan, Sina Alishahi, Mohammad Javad Bakhshian Kerman: Adib Shahbazpour Kermanshah: Salah Yousefi Gorgan: Ehsan Haghdaadi Gilangharb: Kazhal Vatanpour Langarud: Ali Heydari Marivan: Pishva Salehi Mashhad: Navid Irani Mahabad: Hossein Nikseresht, Sina Nikseresht Nahavand: Afsoon Alimoradian, Vafa Salehi Neyshabur: Abdolreza Ghandehari Harsin: Kamal Mahdavi Yasuj: Mohsen Shojaei
Scattered but widespread arrests in several provinces
Security-linked media reported the arrest of at least seven protesters, including one woman, in the cities of Qom, Talesh, Sabzevar, and Shahreza. At the same time, it has been reported that 162 protesting citizens in the cities of Shiraz, Marvdasht, Kavar, Kazerun, Nourabad, Pasargad, Abadeh, Fasa, Darab, and Neyriz were arrested by security forces.
In the course of the nationwide protests of 2026, one woman was also arrested in Sabzevar. Separately, the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC in Qazvin Province announced the arrest of 166 citizens under the title of “leaders” of the protests. This institution has provided no details about the identity of these individuals, their place of detention, or the judicial process.
In Fars Province, at least 18 protesting citizens have been arrested. There are also reports of the arrest of a number of protesters in Mashhad on charges of murdering a security force member—an accusation raised without independent evidence and previously used in similar cases to justify severe crackdowns.
Increased arrests in the west and center of the country
A number of citizens were arrested in Ilam Province, and the province’s intelligence organization announced the arrest of one citizen on charges of murdering the police commander of Halilan County. The General Intelligence Department of Isfahan also announced the arrest of 73 citizens in connection with the popular protests in the province.
In Lorestan Province, the police announced the arrest of 17 protesting citizens. Additionally, the IRGC Intelligence in Yazd announced in a statement the arrest of several citizens in connection with the protests in the province, without specifying names or places of detention.
The police commander of Miyami County also announced that during the 2026 protests in the county, six citizens were arrested and 19 others summoned—an action that observers say aims to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation among protesters.
Special focus on Razavi Khorasan and Alborz
The IRGC Intelligence Organization of Razavi Khorasan Province announced the arrest of eight citizens in relation to the nationwide protests. At the same time, the General Intelligence Department of Razavi Khorasan announced the arrest of 192 citizens in the province in connection with the protests. The overlap in these statistics and the lack of transparency in distinguishing cases have increased concerns about the actual number of detainees.
In Alborz Province, the police information center reported the arrest of three individuals in Garmsar due to what was described as “destruction and arson of the Friday prayer leader’s office in the city.” Meanwhile, the judiciary spokesman announced that some places where protests were supported have been sealed—an action assessed as part of the policy of pressuring protest supporters.
Arrests of women and protesters in the north and south
A security-linked media reported the arrest of six citizens in Amlash County and one young woman in connection with the nationwide protests of 2026. Additionally, four individuals, including one woman, were arrested in Gorgan, Semnan, and Izeh in relation to the protests.
The public relations of the IRGC in Khuzestan also announced in a statement the arrest of a number of protesters, without publishing details on the exact number or their legal status.
In Fars Province as well, one citizen was arrested on charges of murdering a special unit officer during the popular protests—an accusation once again raised without independent evidence and potentially paving the way for heavy sentences.
Organized pressure on Baha’i citizens
The Ministry of Intelligence announced in a statement the arrest of 12 Baha’i citizens and the summons of 13 others in the provinces of Razavi Khorasan, Tehran, Kerman, Yazd, Sistan and Baluchestan, Alborz, Kermanshah, and Mazandaran. The ministry described the charges against these Baha’i citizens as “participation in the nationwide protests of 2026.”
Human rights observers see this action as a sign of intensified organized pressure on religious minorities amid the protests. Previously, there have been numerous reports of arrests of Baha’i citizens under security pretexts without access to a lawyer.
Families’ lack of information and concerns about the fate of detainees
In many of these cases, the families of the detainees are unaware of their place of detention, physical condition, or the progress of their cases. The lack of transparency in announcing the names of detainees and their transfer to unknown detention centers has increased concerns about torture, forced confessions, and hasty judicial sentences.
Some local sources have reported that in some cases, detainees have been deprived of the right to contact their families and access to a lawyer—a pattern similar to security handling in previous protests.
Intensified repression amid ongoing nationwide protests
The totality of these reports indicates that, concurrent with the continuation of the nationwide protests of 2026, the policy of widespread arrests has been placed as one of the main tools of repression by security institutions. The geographical extent of the arrests, the variety of charges raised, and the focus on specific groups including women and Baha’i citizens demonstrate an effort to create an atmosphere of terror and social control.
Human rights observers have warned that the continuation of this trend could lead to increased cases of enforced disappearance, torture in detention centers, and the issuance of heavy judicial sentences—a pattern previously observed in protests of past years.
Human rights violations in the mass arrests of protesters
The wave of mass arrests during the nationwide protests of 2026 is an example of widespread and systematic human rights violations against citizens. Arbitrary detention without judicial warrant, deprivation of contact with family and lawyer, raising security charges without independent evidence, and pressure on religious minorities all indicate violations of the fundamental rights of protesters.
- Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Prohibition of arbitrary detention): Widespread detention of citizens without legal transparency constitutes arbitrary detention.
- Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Right to fair trial): Depriving detainees of access to a lawyer violates the right to a fair trial.
- Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Prohibition of torture and inhuman treatment): Concerns about torture and forced confessions violate the prohibition of torture.
- Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Freedom of religion and belief): Arresting Baha’i citizens due to religious belief violates freedom of religion.
- Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Freedom of expression and protest): Arresting protesters for participating in demonstrations violates freedom of expression.
See also the below articles:
- Execution for Refusing to Shoot During Protests
- Judiciary Declares War on Protests; Promises “Harshest Punishments” and Lightning-Fast Trials
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