Widespread Arrest of Children and Adolescents in Iran Protests 2026

Hundreds of children and adolescents face arrest during Iran nationwide protests December 2025–January 2026. These actions violate the Convention on the Rights of the Child and threaten child rights seriously.

Iran Human Rights Society, Tuesday, January 12, 2026 – Concurrent with the continuation of nationwide protests in December 2025 – January 2026, alarming reports have emerged of the widespread arrest of children and adolescents under 18 years old in various parts of the country; an action that human rights organizations describe as a clear violation of international law and a serious threat to the future of society. These arrests, in many cases carried out without informing families, have drawn the attention of public opinion and international institutions to the situation of children during the protests.

According to published statistics, hundreds of children and adolescents have been arrested during the recent nationwide protests; arrests that, according to these organizations, not only lack clear legal procedures but are also in direct conflict with international commitments regarding children’s rights.

Convention on the Rights of the Child; A Commitment Being Ignored

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is an international treaty adopted in 1989 by the United Nations General Assembly, to which almost all countries in the world, including the ruling dictatorship in Iran, are party. This convention recognizes a comprehensive set of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights for children, i.e., individuals under 18 years of age.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child emphasizes four fundamental principles: non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, the right to life, survival and development, and respect for the views of the child. The main objective of this document is to ensure the well-being, education, and protection of children from violence, abuse, and exploitation, recognizing children as independent rights holders rather than dependents without rights.

Under the provisions of this convention, governments are obligated to align their domestic laws and policies with these commitments and to ensure the establishment of special juvenile justice mechanisms, children’s access to education and health, and their protection from violence and arbitrary detention.

Arrest of Children During Nationwide Protests

Despite these commitments, human rights organizations have reported the arrest of hundreds of children and adolescents under 18 during the nationwide protests of December 2025 – January 2026. These organizations describe these actions as a clear violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and even a “crime against the future of the country.”

According to reports, these arrests have spread to several provinces, and in many cases, families remain uninformed about the location of detention, legal status, and physical condition of their children. According to child rights activists, such a situation can have profound and long-term consequences on the mental and social health of these children.

Specific Examples of Arrested Students

According to reports received on January 4, 2026, a number of students including Soha Davoudifar, Hesam Mohammadi, and Benyamin Mousavi, along with dozens of other adolescents, have been arrested. These arrests have raised serious concerns about compliance with the legal rights of these individuals and their conditions of detention.

Also, prominent cases such as the arrest of Ilya Ekvanian (15 years old) and Mahan Khoobani (16 years old) have provoked widespread reactions from human rights activists and have become symbols of targeting the adolescent generation during the protests.

Worrying Focus of Arrests in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad

The province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, especially the city of Yasuj, has reportedly recorded the highest number of arrests of children and adolescents. At least 81 adolescents have been arrested in this province, of whom 70 have been transferred to the Yasuj Reform and Training Center and 11 others are held in security detention centers; without any transparent information about their status.

The identified names of arrested students and adolescents in Yasuj, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, include:

Mohammad Mehdi Alipour, Amir Mohammad Bakhtiari, Farid Alizadeh, Hossein Khajehyar, Erfan Bazdar, Reza Farhadi Sisakht, Ahmadreza Khaleghipour, Mohaddeseh Mohammadi, Shahla Ansarian, Sanaz Davoudi, Anahita Hekmatnia, Zohreh Derman, Shohreh Nik Eqbal, Ainaz Parvaneh, Farnoush Azar, Shaghayegh Zahedi, Hadis Shibaz, Elham Siavashi, Zahra Darfarin, Mozhgan Forouzan, Yalda Pezhvani, and Ghazal Hamzeh Amleh.

All these individuals have been transferred to the Yasuj Reform and Training Center, and the exact age of many of them remains unreported.

Spread of Arrests to Other Provinces

Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province reports the most cases. Authorities arrested at least 81 adolescents there. Most teenagers went to Yasuj Reform and Training Center. Eleven others stay in security facilities. Families know very little about conditions. The list includes Mohammad Mehdi Alipour, Amir Mohammad Bakhtiari, and Farid Alizadeh. Girls like Mohaddeseh Mohammadi and Shahla Ansarian appear too. Many names come from Yasuj city especially.

This concentration surprises observers. The province shows intense security response. Population size does not explain the numbers fully.

Alarming Statistics and Targeting of the Adolescent Generation

According to received statistics, the highest number of child arrests relates to Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province with 46 people. After that, Tehran with 18, Alborz with 17, Mazandaran with 12, Gilan with 5, Razavi Khorasan with 3, and East Azerbaijan with 3. In provinces such as Isfahan, Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, Fars, Kerman, Hamadan, and Qom, the number of arrested children is reported between 1 and 2 people.

This unusual concentration of arrests, especially in Yasuj, indicates the intensity of repression relative to the population and level of protests in these areas.

Legal and Human Consequences of Arresting Children

Human rights organizations have warned that arresting children and adolescents, especially in streets, schools, and even hospitals, is a repeated violation of human and legal boundaries. According to these organizations, such actions can have irreparable consequences on mental health, education process, and the social future of these children.

Under Article 44 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, governments are required to submit periodic reports on progress in implementing children’s rights to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child; a commitment that human rights activists believe is seriously violated in the current situation.

Call for Immediate Release of Arrested Children

Iran Human Rights Society calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all arrested students and adolescents, an end to judicial and security actions against them and their families, and transparent accountability from responsible institutions. The continued detention of children during protests is not only a violation of the law but also a direct threat to the future of society.

As nationwide protests continue, the situation of arrested children and adolescents has become one of the most serious tests of the government’s adherence to its international commitments; a test that, according to observers, will have consequences far beyond today and tomorrow of the protests.

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