At least 1,700 people have been arrested during protests in 9 provinces of Iran.
According to reports, at least 1,700 people have been arrested in the past 9 days of protests in the provinces of Tehran, Markazi, Kerman, Golestan, West Azerbaijan, Gilan, Alborz, Ardabil, and Khorasan Razavi.
Meanwhile, judicial authorities in other Iranian provinces have also reported the arrest of a number of protesters, without specifying the number.
While rallies have reportedly been held in about 100 cities across Iran in recent days, only a few provincial authorities have announced the number of people arrested in these provinces.
A number of Telegram channels and the website of the International Human Rights Campaign have reported that security forces have arrested more than forty students and student union activists across the country in recent days.
Qasem Abdullahi, the Chief Justice of Markazi Province, announced on Thursday, January 4, that 396 people were arrested in the province on January 28 and 29.
According to Mr. Abdullahi, 294 people were referred to prison in this province.
Ali Asghar Tahmasebi, the deputy governor of Golestan for politics, security and society, also announced that 150 people, whom he described as "activists" of the gatherings in the province, have been arrested.
The Student News Agency, affiliated with the Student Basij, also reported on January 4 that 120 protesters in Rasht had been arrested.
Alireza Radfar, the political deputy governor of West Azerbaijan, has also reported the arrest of 30 people in the province during recent protests.
Mohammad Qayumi, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Nazarabad County in Alborz Province, also announced the arrest of six people, who he said were the "motivators" of the gathering in the county.
Rahmatullah Faramarzi, the governor of Mamasani city in Fars province, has also announced the arrest of nine people in the city's rallies.
Also, according to ILNA news agency, Ali Asghar Naserbakht, Deputy Governor of Tehran, announced that 450 people have been arrested in recent gatherings in Tehran.
Hamedan Governor Ali Talay also announced the arrest of 150 protesters. According to Fars News Agency, he stated that most of those arrested were between 17 and 25 years old.
Gholam Ali Abu Hamzeh, commander of the Kerman IRGC, also announced that more than 80 protesters had been arrested and handed over to "competent authorities."
Haji Reza Shakerami, the prosecutor of Karaj, also announced that 20 people, whom he described as “leaders” of recent rallies, had been arrested. He had stated that “we are not providing statistics at this time” regarding the total number of those arrested.
Hassan Heydari, the prosecutor of Mashhad, also announced that 138 people had been arrested in recent days' gatherings in the city.
Mohammad Takbirgo, the prosecutor of Kashan, also announced on January 10 that 60 protesters had been arrested in the city.
Nasser Atbati, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of the provincial capital of Ardabil, announced the arrest of 40 people following recent gatherings and demonstrations in the province.
On January 1, Abdollahzadeh Pashaki, the police commander of Robat Karim County, also announced the arrest of 11 people in a raid in Parand County.
Deputy Interior Minister Hossein Zolfaghari had previously announced that most of those arrested in recent protests were under the age of 25.
Meanwhile, Masoumeh Ebtekar, Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, pointed out that "a significant number of those arrested" are young people, adding that "we need a deep intergenerational dialogue. We definitely need to hear the voices of teenagers and young people, because we have not provided enough opportunities and space, neither in the family nor in society, to hear the voices of the generation of the 70s and 80s."
According to official statistics, at least 22 people have been killed in the protests in recent days.
Source: Radio Farda
