Ten Arrested in Orumiyeh on Charges of Cooperation with Kurdish Groups

Since March 2013, security forces have arrested dozens of Kurdish citizens in the cities of Mahabad in Western Azerbaijan Province, Sanandaj in Kurdistan Province, and Paveh in Kermanshah Province. Some of these individuals were released on bail after a few weeks, but there is still no news of the fate of several others.

Forces from the Orumiyeh Intelligence Office arrested at least ten Kurdish and Azeri citizens of Orumiyeh in late February on political charges, a local source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. In the intervening months, they have been interrogated and transferred to various prison wards, including the ward for violent criminals.

According to the human rights activist, Orumiyeh Intelligence forces arrested Behrouz and Hassan Brokanlou, Mohammad Hassan Asadi, Mir Hadi Mousavi, Amir Hassan Behrouz, Afshin Mirzaei, Aziz Dalay Milan, Farzad Salamat, Abdolsalam Bahavar, and Khosrow Badavi in Orumiyeh, and searched their homes.

All arrested individuals were interrogated for a month at the Orumiyeh Intelligence Office Detention Center on charges of “cooperating with the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK).” The detainees were then transferred to Orumiyeh Central Prison on March 22. On orders from the Orumiyeh Intelligence Office, prison officials have transferred the political prisoners to separate wards, including the methadone ward the ward for convicted murderers.

Farzad Salamat, Abdolsalam Bahavar, and Khosrow Badavi were transferred to Ward 14 (Methadone Ward); Behrouz Brokanlou and Mir Hadi Moussavi were transferred to the Juvenile Ward; Hassan Brokanlou was transferred to Ward 13; and Hassan Asadi, Amir Hossein Behrouz, Afshin Mirazi, and Aziz Dalay Ilan were transferred to Wards 1 and 2, where prisoners convicted of murder and robbery are kept.

Since March 2013, security forces have arrested dozens of Kurdish citizens in the cities of Mahabad in Western Azerbaijan Province, Sanandaj in Kurdistan Province, and Paveh in Kermanshah Province. Some of these individuals were released on bail after a few weeks, but there is still no news of the fate of several others.

Farough and Hajar (Farzad) Samani, two brothers arrested by security forces in Mahabad during recent weeks, were transferred to the Mahabad Central Prison. Two other Kurdish brothers, Massoud and Khosrow Kordpour, have been transferred to Orumiyeh Central Prison. Another Kurdish detainee, Khedr Rassoul Morovat, was transferred from the Mahabad Intellligence Office Detention Center to Orumiyeh Intelligence Office Detention Center.

Neither the Intelligence Ministry nor the Prosecutors’ Offices have provided any information about the above-mentioned arrests to the media or the families of the detainees. These individuals are denied access to a lawyer during “temporary detention.”