During the popular protests of January 2026, dozens of citizens have been arrested in various cities, and the fate of many is unknown
Iranian Human Rights Society, Monday, January 5, 2026 – During the new wave of popular protests that took place in various parts of the country from January 9 to 13, 2026, dozens of citizens from teenagers to adults were arrested in the cities of Yasuj, Tehran, Mashhad, Behbahan, Sabzevar, Nahavand, Dehloran, Masjed Soliman, Zahedan, Shushtar, Ermo, Dareh Shahr, Yazd, Kermanshah, Esfarayen, Foladshahr and other areas. These arrests have mainly occurred in the context of street protests and public gatherings and have in many cases been accompanied by acts of violence. Security forces have carried out widespread arrests by conducting night raids, beating protesters, entering homes and seizing personal belongings.
Many of the detainees, including students, teachers, women, and ordinary citizens, have been transferred to unknown locations without a specific judicial order or official notification. Field reports indicate that most families remain unaware of the status of their detained children and relatives, and are not allowed to contact or visit them. Security agencies have so far not provided official information about the charges against the detainees, and the lack of information about their physical condition, where they are being held, and their access to a lawyer has added to concerns. These cases have led human rights organizations to warn of the spread of systematic violations of citizens’ basic rights.
Arrest in Yasuj
On Friday, January 1, “Zahra Izadinia,” a citizen of Lor and a graduate of medical sciences, was arrested by security forces during street protests in Yasuj. No official notification has been made about her status, and her family is unaware of her fate.
Arrests in Tehran
In the capital, Alireza Yazdani and Mahan Mohammadi were arrested in Tehran’s Haft-e-Hoz neighborhood, and Majid Jamshidzadeh, a student at the University of Science and Technology, during protest gatherings on January 1. The whereabouts of these individuals are still unknown.
Mashhad; Arrests Continue
In Mashhad, Asghar Shakeri, a physician living in the city, was arrested on January 1. Also, Leila Bakhshandehfar, a dismissed university professor, was arrested at her home by Intelligence Department forces on January 4. No information on their condition is available.
Behbahan; Arrests of Teenagers and Citizens
In the city of Behbahan, six people have been arrested, three of whom are under the age of 18: Sina Dehdashti (16), Saber Vafaiannejad (15), and Artin Ostadian (16), who was released a few days later. Also, “Abolfazl Tayyibi”, “Sajjad Rawod” and “Shahrukh Shojaei” are among the other detainees in this area.
Sabzevar; Arrest of two children
In Sabzevar, “Abolfazl Imani” (17 years old) on January 31 and “Saba Mahroumi” (17 years old) on January 31 were arrested by government forces. Saba has been transferred to Mashhad Prison and there is no information about Abolfazl’s condition.
Nahavand; Teacher and student arrested
In Nahavand, “Mehdi Seif”, a 25-year-old teacher, and “Alireza Khazaei”, a student, were arrested by security forces. Their legal status, charges and whereabouts have not been announced.
Dehloran; Arrest of two teenagers
In Dehloran, “Ilya Ghasemi” and “Reza Seifi”, two children, were arrested on Friday, January 31. Their families protest the ignorance and lack of accountability of the security institutions.
Masjeed Soliman; Raid and Arrest in a Private Home
On Saturday, January 3, “Karim Jalili” was arrested by security forces in his home in Masjid-e-Solomani and transferred to an unknown location.
List of names and pictures of the victims of the nationwide protests 2026
Zahedan; Violent arrest of Baloch citizens
In Zahedan, three Baloch citizens named “Farzad Qabadani” (27 years old), “Naser Qabadani” (28 years old) and “Mohsen Qabadani” (32 years old) were arrested by security forces on January 3, after Friday prayers and during peaceful protests on Mazari Street 31. Reports indicate that they were severely beaten during arrest.
Shushtar; Mass arrest in news silence
In Shushtar, four people named “Ahmadreza Khosravi”, “Imad Ghorbani”, “Mojtaba Joui” and “Mahan Soleimani” have been arrested by government forces. No details of the legal proceedings or where they are being held have been released.
Esfarayen; Arrest of Engineering Student
In Esfarayen, “Pouria Aliyari”, a safety engineering student, was arrested on the night of January 12. There is no information yet on the student’s condition.
Foladshahr; Arrest of 16-year-old child
In Foladshahr, Isfahan province, “Reza Salahshour”, a 16-year-old child, was arrested on the evening of Thursday, January 11, and transferred to an unknown location. His family has not yet received a response.
Darehshahr; Coordinated arrest
In these areas, eight citizens have been arrested: “Esmail Zohrabi”, “Amir Eissazadeh” (30 years old), “Mohammad Bashir Hashemian” (35 years old), “Mehdi Hashemian” (30 years old), “Ahmad Hassanvand Amuzadeh” (30 years old), “Bahadur Amuzadeh”, “Mohammad Taha Zeinivand” (16 years old), and “Saman Gholami”.
Yazd; Mass arrest of young women
In Yazd, five women named “Marim Zare” (19 years old), “Sara Nosrati” (17 years old), “Reihaneh Zare” (19 years old), “Farzaneh Golestan” (20 years old) were arrested and transferred to prison along with 70 others.
Kermanshah; Mass repression in Jafarabad
On the night of January 4, security forces arrested at least 30 citizens in the Jafarabad neighborhood of Kermanshah and transferred them to an unknown location. Local sources reported a large presence of security forces.
Arbitrary arrest and deprivation of liberty
Massive arrests without providing legal reasons in several cities, including:
* Yasuj: Zahra Izadinia
*Tehran: Alireza Yazdani, Mahan Mohammadi, Majid Jamshidzadeh
*Mashhad: Asghar Shakeri, Leila Bakhshandehfar
*Sabzvar: Abolfazl Imani, Saba Mahroumi
* Nahavand, Dehloran, Shushtar, Esfarayen, Foladshahr, Ermo, Yazd, Kermanshah
Detention of children
Including arrests of persons under the age of 18 in:
* Behbahan: Sina Dehdashti (16 years old), Saber Vafaiannejad (15 years old)
* Sabzevar: Abolfazl Imani, Saba Haroumi (17 years old)
* Dehloran: Ilia Ghasemi, Reza Seifi
* Ermo: Mohammad Taha Zeinivand (16 years old)
* Foladshahr: Reza Salahshour (16 years old)
* Yazd, Kermanshah: Group arrests including teenagers
Transfers to unknown locations
A number of detainees have been transferred to unknown locations without providing official information, including in the cases of Tehran, Mashhad, Yasuj, Shushtar, Zahedan, Esfarayen, Foladshahr and Darehshahr.
Human Rights Violations in Arbitrary Detentions of Protesters
During the recent detentions, numerous cases of violations of basic rights of citizens have occurred, indicating a systematic pattern in the repression of protesters, especially adolescents, women and students.
* Violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Arbitrary detentions without a judicial warrant and without the knowledge of families
* Violation of Article 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Detention of detainees in unknown locations and lack of access to a lawyer or communication with family
* Violation of Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Failure to provide a fair trial for detainees
* Violation of Article 24 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Detention of children without special protections appropriate to their age
Arbitrary detention and deprivation of liberty
Widespread detention without legal grounds in several cities, including:
* Yasuj: Zahra Izadinia
* Tehran: Alireza Yazdani, Mahan Mohammadi, Majid Jamshidzadeh
* Mashhad: Asghar Shakeri, Leila Bakhshandehfar
* Sabzevar: Abolfazl Imani, Saba Haroumi
* Nahavand, Dehloran, Shushtar, Esfarayen, Foladshahr, Armo, Yazd, Kermanshah
Detention of children
Including arrests of persons under the age of 18 in:
* Behbahan: Sina Dehdashti (16 years old), Saber Vafaiannejad (15 years old)
* Sabzevar: Abolfazl Imani, Saba Haroumi (17 years old)
* Dehloran: Ilia Ghasemi, Reza Seifi
* Armo: Mohammad Taha Zeinivand (16 years old)
* Foladshahr: Reza Salahshour (16 years old)
* Yazd, Kermanshah: Mass detentions including juveniles
Transfers to unknown locations
A number of detainees have been transferred to unknown locations without providing official information, including in the cases of Tehran, Mashhad, Yasuj, Shushtar, Zahedan, Esfarayen, Foladshahr, and Darehshahr.
See also the below articles:
- Iran 2026 Protests Arrests: Verified List of Detained Names
- Iran Protests Escalate Dramatically on January 2, 2026
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