New Wave of Repression in Iran: From “Moharebeh” Charges Against a Young Mother to Arrest of Civil and Religious Activists
As international human rights organizations warn of intensified repression and increased arbitrary detentions in Iran, recent reports indicate that the Islamic Republic has expanded its crackdown against protesters, civil activists, ethnic and religious minorities, and political critics in recent months. This trend encompasses heavy charges against ordinary citizens, detentions without disclosure of whereabouts, and deprivation of basic legal rights, further escalating concerns about the country’s human rights situation.
According to reports released by human rights organizations, Hanieh Sarbourzi, a 30-year-old resident of Mashhad and mother of a young child, has been held in Vakil Abad Prison in Mashhad for over forty days. What has compounded concerns about her case is the charge of “moharebeh” (enmity against God) brought against her—an accusation frequently used against political opponents and protesters in recent years, and in some cases has led to severe sentences including execution. Reports also indicate that since her arrest, this citizen has been deprived of contact with her family and phone calls.
Concerns about the widespread use of “moharebeh” charges arise at a time when human rights organizations have warned in recent months about increased executions and secret carrying out of some of these sentences. Published reports show that several political prisoners faced the danger of execution or sentence implementation in 2026 with the same charge or similar charges related to national security.
In another case, Rasoul Kazemi, a resident of Khorramabad and a war veteran from the Iran-Iraq War, was arrested after reporting to the enforcement department to serve his sentence and transferred to Khorramabad Central Prison. He had previously been sentenced to 26 months in prison on charges of “propaganda against the system” and “insulting Khamenei.” His arrest raises once again the question of why criticism of the Islamic Republic’s leader or expressing opposing views can still result in imprisonment.
Meanwhile, reports have been released about the arrest of Hafiz Elias Qadarnejo, a 25-year-old Baloch seminary student. According to local sources, Ministry of Intelligence forces arrested him upon his return to Zahedan. Based on released information, security officials told his family that the reason for his arrest was his presence and studies at the Makki Mosque religious complex in Zahedan, a religious center that has frequently faced pressure from security agencies in recent years. The arrest of this Baloch seminary student occurs at a time when multiple other reports have been released about the arrest of Sunni clergy and religious activists in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.
In southern Iran, Nabil Khaldi, an Arab civil activist from Kut-Abdullah in Ahvaz, was arrested after being summoned to the Asaluyeh Intelligence Department and transferred to an unknown location. As of the publication of this report, no official information has been released regarding the reasons for his arrest, possible charges, or his place of detention. This method of arrest, which involves keeping his family and lawyer unaware of the individual’s fate, is considered by human rights organizations as arbitrary detention and, in some cases, enforced disappearance.
Nabil Khaldi’s case is just one of many examples of pressure on Arab activists in Khuzestan. In recent days, reports have been released of widespread arrests of Arab Sunni citizens in the Kut-Abdullah area of Ahvaz, in which dozens of people have been arrested by security forces and transferred to unknown locations.
These cases, alongside dozens of similar cases, paint a picture of a broader process that, according to human rights observers, is aimed at silencing any dissenting voice in Iran. Amnesty International recently stated that Islamic Republic officials, using the security pretext, have launched a wave of arbitrary arrests, hasty trials, severe sentences, and suppression of opponents. The organization reported arrests of thousands of people, including protesters, journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, and members of ethnic and religious minorities, and warned of the dangers of torture, enforced disappearance, and forced confessions.
Critics of the Islamic Republic believe that these measures demonstrate that the government has adopted a strategy of security pressure rather than addressing social and political demands. Under this strategy, everyone—from civil activists and street protesters to citizens belonging to ethnic and religious minorities—can become targets of arrest, legal action, and deprivation of fundamental rights. In such circumstances, the increase in the number of political and conscience prisoners and the expansion of heavy charges against citizens once again have made the state of civil liberties and human rights in Iran one of the most important concerns of the international community.
