Widespread Arrests of Citizens in Ahvaz and Surrounding Areas

Iran-HRM – Widespread arrests of citizens in Ahvaz and nearby regions persist. On the morning of Wednesday, January 8, 2025, several young individuals were detained by security forces at their homes. These individuals were reportedly active on social media, focusing on social, environmental, and cultural issues.

Confiscation of Personal Belongings

Reports indicate that security agents entered the homes of those arrested, confiscating mobile phones, computers, and other personal belongings before transferring the detainees to undisclosed locations.

Identified Detainees

The following individuals have been confirmed among those arrested:

Alavi Neighborhood (Hay al-Thawra), Ahvaz: Reza Heydari, Javad Heydari, and Ali Sowari.

Malashiya Area, Southern Ahvaz: Seyyed Foad Mousavi, Javad Afari, Yasin Silavi, and Ali Keroushat.

Ghazlaviyeh Village: Mohammad Naseri.

Ramshir (Khalafieh) City: Khaled Amouri, Ali Amouri, and Mohammad Amouri, arrested by the Intelligence Office in Ramhormoz.

Arrest of Seyyed Hashem Mousavi

Seyyed Hashem Mousavi (Hermoushi), a 56-year-old resident of the Sheyban area in northern Ahvaz, was arrested on January 5, 2025. Mousavi had previously been detained three times in 2005 for protesting demographic changes in the region, serving over seven years in prison.

Further Arrests in Recent Days

Additional arrests of Ahvazi Arab citizens by security forces have been reported, including:

Mustafa Heliji

Reza Hezbavi

Saeed Esmail Mazraeh, a researcher and writer, arrested on January 6, 2025.

Milad Bahri, a civil activist, photographer, and journalist from Shadegan, arrested on the same day.

Other individuals recently detained include Sadegh Mansouri, Mansour Jasemi, Ahmad Jalali, Hossein Saeedi, Saeed Fallahi, Ahmad Khaledi, Ayoub Tarafi, Yousef Saeedi, Mohammad Ayasi, and Ali Sowari (son of Jabbar).

Detentions in Malashiya

On the night of January 6, 2025, several Sunni citizens in the Malashiya neighborhood of Ahvaz were arrested, including Younes Gharbavi and Reza Zohairi. The identities of three additional detainees remain unknown.

Arrests in Shadegan

Reports also indicate that a number of Arab activists have been detained in Shadegan (Falahieh), though their identities have not yet been confirmed.

These arrests are part of an ongoing pattern of detentions targeting activists and citizens in Ahvaz and other Arab-majority areas in southwestern Iran.