Six months after a violent and armed raid by security forces of the Islamic Republic on the Qal’eh-ye Chenan area of Ahwaz, the fate of Mahmoud Hosseinian (Naseri) remains unknown.
Reports received indicate that his family has been left in a state of complete uncertainty, while security and judicial authorities have refused to provide any clear information regarding whether he is alive or dead.
The Mystery Surrounding Mahmoud Hosseinian’s Disappearance and the Psychological Torture of His Family
Mahmoud Hosseinian, born in February 1996 in Abadan and a resident of Ahwaz, is among the principal victims of the security operation of March 9, 2026. His family told the Karoon Human Rights Organization that, despite the passage of six months since the incident, they have received no calls or messages from any relevant authority and remain completely uncertain as to whether their son was killed or detained.
The family’s persistent efforts to obtain information from various judicial, security, and medical authorities have yielded no response. They have visited the Intelligence Department’s information office (113), the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC Intelligence, 114), and officials at Sheiban Prison in Ahwaz. They have also contacted the forensic medicine authorities and all hospitals in Ahwaz, but have received no clear response and have found no trace of his body.
Describing the painful uncertainty they have endured, Mahmoud Hosseinian’s family told the Karoon Human Rights Organization:
“Even if Mahmoud has been killed, at least tell us that he was killed and show us his grave. At least let us know… We only want to know what happened to him.”
Meanwhile, the authorities and relevant institutions have so far refused to confirm either Mahmoud Hosseinian’s arrest or his death. The systematic concealment by security institutions regarding his fate constitutes a clear case of enforced disappearance and psychological torture of his family.
Security Operation Amid War and an Information Blackout
The raid on the Qal’eh-ye Chenan area took place while the country was under the shadow of war and regional conflict. At the same time, widespread internet shutdowns and a heavily militarised security environment were imposed in the area.
During the operation, which involved direct gunfire by security forces, Mahmoud Hosseinian and four other citizens were targeted.
In connection with the same operation, 14 other citizens who had been arrested that night were held for four months and 15 days in solitary confinement at the Abolfazl al-Abbas Intelligence facility before eventually being transferred to the quarantine section of Sheiban Prison in Ahwaz on July 22, 2026.
However, Mahmoud Hosseinian’s name and whereabouts were not among those transferred.
Contradictions in Official Narratives and the Pattern of Security Case-Building
In April 2026, the Ministry of Intelligence issued an official statement presenting a contradictory account, claiming that five people had been killed and 10 others arrested during the operation.
Security authorities have levelled serious allegations against those individuals, including “firing at security forces, blowing up oil pipelines, possessing Starlink equipment, and cooperating with the United States and Israel.”
Human rights activists stress that the use of such allegations is a well-established practice used to justify violent repression during military crises, fabricate security cases against citizens, and pave the way for obtaining forced confessions under torture.
