During the past week, at least 12 civil and environmental activists were arrested in the cities of Sine (Sanandaj), Kamyaran and Baneh in Rojhilat, East Kurdistan. Security forces have transferred the detainees to Sanandaj city Information Detention Center.

Kaveh Kermashani, a spokesman for the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN), said that pressure has increased on environmental activists in eastern Kurdistan, and Iran’s intelligence covered the detainees’ head with black sacks during raids. He added that the prisoners were beaten by security forces and have not been allowed to visit their lawyers or their families.

The names of seven of detainees are as follows:

Farhad Mohammadi, Fazel Ghaytasi, Reza Asadi, Hadi Kamangar, Rashid Montazeri, Isa Feizi and Hossein Kamangar.