Four activists have apparently been abducted by Iranian regime forces in East Kurdistan. The France-based Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) reported that the incident occurred on Wednesday at the entrance to the city of Seqiz (Saqqez). The circumstances of the arrests and the women's current whereabouts remain unclear.

According to KHRN information, the arrested activists are Sheyda Rezaei, Shirin Khayyat, Simin Khayyat and Solmaz Hassanzadeh. The latter is the sister of protester Mohammad Hassanzadeh, who was shot dead by Iranian security forces in Bokan last November during anti-regime protests following the state femicide of Jina Mahsa Amini.

According to KHRN, the four women were arrested without a prior court order. On the same day, Solmaz Hassanzadeh's parents' house in Bokan was said to have been raided and searched by regime troops. As the human rights organization also announced, the 29-year-old was briefly taken into custody in Bokan at the beginning of September. At that time, she was arrested as part of a summons from the Ministry of Intelligence. The authorities arrested the 56-year-old father, Ahmad Hassanzadeh.

Background

The death in custody of the young Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini a year ago triggered the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” uprising, which spread across the entire country from her hometown of Seqiz. Thousands took to the streets and called for the fall of the mullahs' authoritarian regime. Amini was killed in the custody of the Iranian morality police because she was said to have worn her clothing improperly.

According to civil society organizations, more than 550 demonstrators were killed, thousands injured, around 25,000 arrested and at least seven executed by regime forces. The hunt for members of the revolt continues more than a year after the uprising broke out. Rojhilat (Eastern Kurdistan) is particularly affected by state repression. People are arrested every day, and some disappear without a trace after being arrested.