In an incident that raised human rights concerns, Salar Taher Afshar, a young protester from Urmia, was arrested at his workplace on February 17, 2025 by the Urmia Intelligence forces. According to obtained information, he was transferred without any explanation or prior notice from the authorities—first to an undisclosed location and then to the Tabriz Intelligence Office. Afshar’s family was unaware of his arrest and transfer, and they now find themselves in a state of confusion and deep worry.
Three days after his arrest, his family received an official notice stating that he must report to the Execution Department of Criminal Sentences at the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Region 33 in Tehran to serve a five‐year prison sentence at Evin Prison. It is noteworthy that this sentence was issued in a case where he was charged with “conspiracy and collusion against national security” and follows an earlier conviction in which he received a six‐month custodial sentence for performing politically charged rap music.
Salar Taher Afshar, born in 1998, has previously experienced arrests, interrogations, and judicial convictions. In communications with his family, he stated that he was unaware of the reason for his arrest and declared his innocence. The lack of access to legal counsel and the inability to maintain regular contact with his family have heightened serious human rights concerns regarding the right to a fair trial and the civil rights of the detained individual.
