Mass Arrests, and Torture of Protesters during the First Week of the Uprising
Reporting Period: December 28, 2025, to January 4, 2026
1- Executive Summary
Following the start of the nationwide uprising on December 28, 2025, in protest against absolute poverty and systemic corruption, the security apparatus of the Islamic Republic (IRGC and FARAJA) initiated a wave of illegal arrests in more than 35 cities across Iran. According to reports from Iranian Resistance websites, the number of detainees has exceeded 1,100 individual.
2- Enforced Disappearances
The Islamic Republic regime is currently employing a pattern of “Enforced Disappearance” to suppress the protests. Many detainees, instead of being transferred to official prisons, have been taken to secret IRGC detention centers and Ward 240 of Evin Prison (under the control of security interrogators).
- Izeh and Ilam: According to internal reports, dozens of young detainees in Izeh were transferred to prisons in Ahvaz under heavy security to break local solidarity.
- On Friday, January 2, approximately 90 detainees from Izeh were moved to Ahvaz via three buses.
- Field sources report the transfer of 60 to 80 men to the quarantine section of Sheiban Prison and 30 to 40 women to the Sepidar Prison female ward.
- These transfers occurred without notifying families, increasing concerns regarding the health and safety of the detainees.
- Informed sources state that charges include “participating in riots” and “acting against national security”.
- No information is available regarding judicial process, visitation rights, or access to legal counsel.
- Reports indicate psychological pressure and threats to extract forced confessions during interrogation.
3- Arrest of Women and Students
The identities of women transferred to Evin’s women’s ward, including Elnaz Kari and Negar Ghanbari, have been confirmed. Furthermore, raids on student dormitories (including Beheshti University) and the arrest of female students have been documented.
4- Detention Center Conditions and Torture
Field sources report that interrogators use severe physical torture in facilities known as “Pelak 100” (Placard 100) and safe houses to extract forced confessions regarding “links with foreign entities” or “membership in Resistance Units”. 100% of the detainees from the first week have been deprived of family visits and access to a lawyer.
5- Partial List of Identified Detainees
| Name and Surname | City | Date of Arrest | Status |
| Shahin Shokuhi | Tehran (Sharif Univ.) | Dec 30 | Unknown |
| Abolfazl Morovati | Tehran | Dec 31 | Transferred to Evin |
| Kourosh Nouri (15 yrs) | Malekshahi | Jan 1 | IRGC Detention |
| Amir Mehdi Razm | Behesheh | Jan 1 | Unknown |
| Sepehr Salehi | Dehloran | Dec 31 | Transferred to Ilam |
| Nemat Heydari | Izeh | Jan 3 | Transferred to Ahvaz |
| Ali Najafi | Kermanshah | – | – |
| Mohammad Hasanvand | Dareh Shahr, Ilam | – | – |
| Iman Ali Moradi | Tehran | – | – |
| Bijan Karimian | Dareh Shahr, Ilam | – | – |
| Mohammad Javad Zarei | Mormouri, Abadan | – | – |
| Akbar Darvishi | Dehloran | Dec 31 | – |
| Aref Darvishi | Dehloran | Dec 31 | – |
| Mohammad Havasi | Dehloran | Dec 31 | – |
| Sepehr Salehi | Dehloran | Dec 31 | – |
| Amir Raoufi | Dehloran | Dec 31 | – |
| Ehsan Maleki | Dehloran | Dec 31 | – |
| Milad Kiyadi | Dehloran | Dec 31 | – |
| Farzad Shokri | Dehloran | Dec 31 | – |
| Abolfazl Shadfar | Dehloran | Dec 31 | – |
| Moein Maleki | Dehloran | Dec 31 | – |
| Yazdan Bakhti | Dehloran | Dec 31 | – |
| Amir Nodehi (23 yrs) | Tehran | Jan 1 | – |
6- Judicial Intimidation and Threats
The judiciary in several provinces, including Isfahan, Hamadan, Izeh, and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, has issued panicked warnings against protesters.
- Isfahan: The Chief Justice declared: “Creating any disorder or action against public security is a red line for the judiciary. Decisive action will be taken according to the law against the few individuals who align themselves with enemies and dissidents of the system to engage in illegal and destructive activities”. (ILNA News Agency – Jan 2, 2026).
- Hamadan: Prosecutor Abbas Najafi stated: “Any action aligned with the enemy that causes disruption in public order, deprives public peace, or causes damage to public property and lives, or is in connection with the goals of hostile media, is considered an example of crimes against internal security. Decisive and punitive action will be taken against the perpetrators”.
- According to IRNA, he added that protesters should separate their path from “rioters” and that “organized cells” have been trained and assigned to provoke law enforcement by approaching religious and sensitive centers like mosques and police stations to inflame the atmosphere. (IRNA – Jan 2, 2026.
- Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad: The Prosecutor stated: “Any riot or disruption of public order, under any title, is considered an act against security. Decisive action will be taken without leniency. Those who disrupted order were immediately met with the decisive entry of security forces, and the leaders were arrested”. (ISNA News Agency – Jan 3, 2026).
7- Human Rights Appeal
We call upon the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran and the Fact-Finding Mission to:
- Take immediate action to halt torture of recent detainees.
- Dispatch an international delegation to inspect Evin, Fashafuyeh, and secret detention centers in Ilam and Lorestan.
