News Center — Amid escalating protests, Iran is witnessing a new wave of arrests targeting women. Human rights reports reveal that many detainees, including minors, have been subjected to abuse and physical violence. These violations have sparked widespread concern among human rights organizations, which warn of harsh detention conditions and a lack of transparency.

According to reports from news agencies, human rights organizations, field networks, and information released by independent rights institutions, the latest arrests during recent protests have specifically targeted women. Arrests have been reported in several cities, including Yazd, Kermanshah, Sonqor, Mashhad, Rasht, Yasuj, Sabzevar, and Isfahan.

In Yazd, Iranian authorities arrested a group of young women and teenage girls. Those transferred to Yazd Central Prison include Maryam Zarei (19), Sara Nosrati (17), Reyhaneh Zarei (19), and Farzaneh Golestani (20). Reports also indicate the arrest of other women in the same city, including Marzieh Azarang, Sogol Salari, Elham Fallah, Mina Arji, and Sara Bostan. Published reports suggest that some detainees were subjected to threats and psychological pressure, as well as the risk of sexual harassment during detention, though these allegations have not yet been independently verified.

In Kermanshah, although some arrests predate this recent wave, the names of detained women resurfaced in recent investigations. Sepideh Kermashani, Setareh Mohammadi, Sayeh Shushtari Kermashani, and Rosa Shushtari were arrested and later released on bail the same night. Reports indicate they were beaten and mistreated at the Kermanshah police station.

In the regions of Sonqor and Kolyai, security forces arrested Bahar Rafiei, Asl Beigvand, Dina Salari, and Sahar Reza-Doust, a student at Zanjan University, in connection with the protests. Their exact whereabouts have not yet been disclosed.

In Mashhad, independent sources reported the arrest of Raheleh Zard-Kuhi, a woman previously subjected to security pressure. Leila Bakhshandehfar, a university professor and prominent academic figure, was also arrested, with her legal status and location remaining unknown.

In northern Iran, reports emerged of the arrest of Mahnaz Ghasemi from the town of Gilak. In southern and central Iran, rights reports indicated the detention of Shima Khorshidian and Parisa Mousavi from the Lur community in Yasuj, as well as Mahshad Kashani, a student activist from Isfahan. The name of Nazanin Zahra Mousavi, a 17-year-old from Sabzevar, was also listed among detainees, raising growing concerns over the detention of minors under the age of eighteen.

Human rights organizations have warned that detained women, especially minors, are living under extremely vulnerable conditions. The lack of access to lawyers, families being unaware of detainees’ whereabouts, and reports of physical violence and sexual intimidation have raised serious concerns about grave human rights violations.

Iranian authorities have not released official statistics or information regarding the number of detained women, and state media have largely avoided covering the issue. In contrast, human rights organizations stress that the actual number of detained women is likely higher than the reported names, and that more cases will emerge as arrests continue.