New Wave of Arbitrary Detentions in Iran; From Tabriz to Boukan and Marivan

In the continuing wave of security detentions in Iran, “Milad Balsini,” a Turkish civil activist in Tabriz, and three Kurdish citizens in Marivan and Boukan have been arrested and transferred to unknown locations; while in some of these cases, no specific charges have yet been announced and families remain unaware of the fate of their loved ones. International human rights reports also indicate the continuation of arbitrary detention, forced disappearance, denial of effective access to lawyers, and intensified pressure on ethnic minorities in Iran.

In recent days, reports have emerged of the detention of at least four citizens in Tabriz, Marivan, and Boukan; four cases that share, according to published reports, a common characteristic: ambiguity regarding the reason for detention and lack of clear information about the place of detention and the legal status of the individuals.

According to a report by human rights organization Hengaw, Milad Balsini, a Turkish civil activist and resident of Tabriz, was arrested on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, after appearing at Branch 15 of the General and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Tabriz. He had previously been summoned to this branch with a notification to present his defense statement, but after the interrogation session ended, Ministry of Intelligence forces arrested him and transferred him to an unknown location.

At the time of publication of this report, precise information about the place of detention, health status, and charges against Balsini is not available, but published reports on his legal record also show that this civil activist had previously faced security cases.

This case is notable because Balsini’s arrest, according to available reports, took place after his referral to the judiciary and his appearance at an interrogation session to present his defense statement; however, no transparent information has been published regarding his fate after leaving the prosecutor’s office.

Simultaneously in Marivan, “Shakhawan Khavari,” a 21-year-old citizen from the village of “Ni” in this district, has also been arrested. According to reports, on the evening of Monday, August 17, Iranian Islamic Republic Intelligence Department forces, without presenting a judicial warrant, raided Khavari’s family home in Ni village and arrested him.

At the time of publication of this report, the reason for detention, possible charges, and the place of detention of this citizen remain unclear, and the family’s efforts to obtain information about his status have yielded no results.

In Boukan as well, the names “Hymen Manijeh” and “Hossein Yousefi” appear in reports related to the recent wave of arrests. Hymen Manijeh was also arrested in the early morning of August 17 by Intelligence Department forces and without presentation of a judicial document, and transferred to an unknown location.

Hossein Yousefi was also arrested on August 15 during a raid by Intelligence Department forces on his residence in the village of “Mirawa” in Boukan district. These two citizens have so far been deprived of access to a lawyer, visits, and contact with their families, and efforts by their families to obtain information about their status have been unsuccessful.

Human rights organization Hengaw has stated that to date, precise information about the reasons for detention, charges, place of detention, and the fate of these two individuals is not available.

This report comes at a time when reports of other detentions of Kurdish citizens in Boukan, Miandoab, Oshnavieh, and Mahabad in recent days have also been published; a matter that shows that the four recent cases cannot necessarily be considered completely isolated incidents.

The main concern in these cases is not only the detention of individuals; but the manner of detention and the period that follows; when a family does not know where the detained person is being held, what charge is against them, and whether they have access to a lawyer. This issue has also been extensively documented in reports by international human rights organizations.

Human Rights Watch announced in February 2026 that authorities of the Islamic Republic have pursued suppression of protests, widespread and arbitrary detentions, torture, and forced disappearance. The organization reported that authorities in many cases have refused to provide families with information about the fate and place of detention of those arrested.

Human Rights Watch also stated that detainees have in some cases been held in informal or secret facilities, and during investigations, their access to lawyers has been limited or blocked.

In its report on detention conditions in Iran, this organization quoted one of the relatives of a detainee as saying that when families ask prosecutor’s authorities about their loved ones, they receive general answers and not even clear explanations about the specific charges against the individual.

Amnesty International also announced in a report published on May 28, 2026, an intensification of repression in Iran, stating that since the beginning of military attacks on February 28, Iranian authorities have arbitrarily detained more than 6,000 people.

According to the organization, among those detained are protesters, journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, government opponents, and members of ethnic and religious minorities. Amnesty International has also warned about cases of forced disappearance, torture, mistreatment, and the use of forced confessions in unfair judicial proceedings.

“Erika Guevara Rosas,” senior director of research, policy, support and campaigns at Amnesty International, said about this situation: “Iranian authorities are using the crisis to intensify the erosion of human rights of the Iranian people; people who have already suffered from the devastating consequences of illegal military attacks by U.S. and Israeli forces as well as decades of crimes under international law by the Islamic Republic.”

In another part of her remarks, she emphasized: “Iranian authorities have launched a comprehensive attack against the Iranian people to maintain their power, and they target anyone who dares to criticize the Islamic Republic, shares information about American or Israeli attacks or human rights violations with the outside world, or simply tries to contact their loved ones and access independent information beyond internet restrictions.”

Amnesty International has also called for the release of individuals who have been arbitrarily detained and asked authorities of the Islamic Republic to disclose the fate and place of detention of those who have become victims of forced disappearance.

Concern about the condition of ethnic minorities is not limited only to reports by non-governmental organizations. United Nations human rights experts on August 6, 2026 called on authorities of the Islamic Republic to end the escalating process of arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances and the targeting of ethnic minorities.

The inclusion of Kurdish and Turkish citizens among recent cases gains greater significance; especially as human rights reports in recent months have repeatedly reported the detention of activists and citizens belonging to ethnic minorities in Iran.

Human Rights Watch in its report also reported the continuation of detention of individuals who, in the eyes of security authorities, are considered opponents or critics of the government, and among the targeted groups, it also mentioned members of ethnic and religious minorities.

One of the serious concerns in Iran’s security cases is the use of general and vague titles for judicial proceedings against activists and critics. Charges such as “propaganda against the system” and titles related to national security have been leveled in recent years against a number of civil activists, political figures, journalists, and citizens who have engaged in protest activities or expressed their views.

Of course, in Milad Balsini’s recent case, at the time of preparation of this report, no new formal charge has been announced, therefore no specific charge can be attributed to him without judicial confirmation. However, the history of his security cases and reports published about previous charges demonstrate a pattern in which civil activism can lead to a judicial case with security titles.

The problem becomes more serious when the family of a detainee cannot even receive a clear answer about his place of detention and charges.

Human Rights Watch has stated in its report that Iranian authorities, during investigations, have in many cases limited detainees’ access to independent lawyers. The organization also says that in some cases, families and lawyers have been deprived of information regarding the fate and place of detention of individuals.

The cases of Milad Balsini, Shakhawan Khavari, Hymen Manijeh, and Hossein Yousefi converge at one common point: “Families still do not have a clear answer about the fate of their loved ones.”

In such circumstances, the demand for transparent communication about the place of detention, health status, and possible charges against detainees is not a political or factional demand; rather, it is a matter related to the most basic human rights and principles of fair trial.

No family should remain for weeks or months waiting for a brief phone call, an official announcement, or even information about the place of detention of their loved one.

International human rights organizations have also repeatedly emphasized this matter. Amnesty International has called for the disclosure of the fate and place of detention of victims of forced disappearance, and Human Rights Watch has asked Iranian authorities to clarify the fate of disappeared individuals and provide independent access to detention facilities.

In Iran, the detention of a citizen should not mean his disappearance from the reach of his family, lawyer, and public opinion. The right to know the charges, access to a lawyer, contact with family, and fair trial are rights that cannot be denied to a human being on the basis of ethnicity, language, religious belief, or political opinion.

Until official and verifiable information is published about the place of detention and charges against these four citizens, concerns about their condition and the possibility of violation of their fundamental rights will remain.