Continued Arrests Following 12-Day Israel War and Detention of 65 Gilaki Citizens

Following continued arrests after the 12-day war with Israel, dozens of Gilakis in Rasht and other parts of Gilan have been detained and accused of security charges and collaboration with Israel, with some facing long-term prison sentences.

Following the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, new reports have been published indicating that the Islamic Republic’s security forces have carried out widespread arrests of a number of Gilani citizens. According to these reports, at least 65 people, mainly from the Gilaki ethnic group in the city of Rasht and other cities in Gilan Province, have been detained.

These arrests appear to stem from strict surveillance of social and digital activities. Some individuals have been accused of “propaganda against the system,” “information cooperation with the hostile government,” and even “collaboration with Israel” for private chats with family members, commenting on Iranian or foreign social media pages, or sharing opinions on social networks.

Among those detained, there are cases that have received lengthy prison sentences. For example, a 52-year-old Gilaki worker who left a sarcastic comment in Persian under a tweet from Israel was sentenced to five years and six months in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Rasht.

It has also been reported that many of those detained were “ordinary people,” individuals with no political background or notable opposition who were only arrested after their mobile phones were searched at security checkpoints. These individuals were subsequently held in non-political wards of Lakan Prison in Rasht.

In addition to this wave of arrests of Gilakis, pressure on Christian citizens has continued. According to reports by human rights organizations, many Christians, particularly those who have formed informal “house church” groups or have been active on social networks, have faced accusations such as “propaganda against the system,” “forming house churches,” or “cooperation with enemies.” According to recent reports, some of these individuals have also been arrested and, after trial, sentenced to several years in prison.

According to analysts, the government’s policy in this period was part of a preventive crackdown; an attempt to suppress the voices of citizens, tightly control cyberspace, and prevent any form of opposition or potential criticism amid security tensions and war.

Reporters say that in many cases, arrests and trials have occurred without any history of protest or armed action, solely because of expressing opinions, sharing content, or religious affiliation.

Continued pressure on religious minorities, particularly Christian citizens in Iran, has been documented repeatedly in recent years. Human rights organizations say that even in normal circumstances, Christians (especially those who have converted from Islam to Christianity or have house churches) face arrests, torture, deprivation of freedom of religion, and severe restrictions.

However, the current crisis, accompanied by the 12-day war and heightened security atmosphere, has become a turning point for intensifying these crackdowns. The arrest of Gilakis without clear reason, reliance on vague security accusations, and heavy prison sentences all point to the system’s distrust of society and an attempt to silence dissenting voices.

This process is not only a violation of human rights and freedom of religion and expression, but could also damage social cohesion in ethnic provinces like Gilan, where ethnic, cultural, and linguistic identity is part of people’s identity.

Published documents show that the wave of arrests following the conflict with Israel was not solely directed at religious opponents or political activists, but even ordinary citizens with no history of protest or political action have been targeted, simply for a comment or private message.

Such policies, if continued unabated, could intensify an atmosphere of fear and widespread self-censorship among minorities and scattered ethnic groups and silence the voice of civil society forever.

It should be noted that the present report has been prepared based on information published to date.