According to reports received from local sources and human rights activists, officers of the Intelligence Department of Ahwaz carried out simultaneous raids on the homes of several Ahwazi Arab citizens in the Kut Abdallah area of Ahwaz on the night of Thursday, 17 June 2026, arresting at least 29 Sunni citizens.
According to these reports, the arrests were carried out solely due to the individuals’ peaceful religious affiliations and activities. Human rights sources further report that several of those detained had previously been arrested and sentenced for their religious activities and, despite completing their sentences, were once again targeted by security forces.
Eyewitnesses stated that security forces entered residential homes without presenting clear judicial warrants, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation—particularly for women and children—while searching properties and confiscating personal belongings before transferring detainees to undisclosed locations.
The identities of some of the confirmed detainees are as follows:
- Hossein Batrani, 40, married
- Hassan Obaidawi, 50, married
- Mohammad (Abu Aqil) Hazbawi, 36, married
- Abdulrahman Mohammad Hazbavi, 43, married
- Jassim (Abu Majid) Sawari, 34, married
- Mohammad Khanfari, 22, married
- Mohammad Hazbawi, 21, single
At the time of this report, no information is available regarding the detainees’ place of detention, legal status, or health conditions, and their families remain deprived of contact, visitation rights, and access to legal counsel.
This large-scale wave of arrests is viewed as part of an escalating pattern of security pressure against Ahwazi Arab Sunni citizens in Ahwaz. Arbitrary detention, holding individuals in undisclosed locations, denial of access to legal representation, and targeting individuals based on religious beliefs stand in clear violation of the Islamic Republic’s international obligations, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly the rights to freedom of religion or belief, liberty and security of person, and fair trial guarantees.
