The Hana Human Rights Organization, following numerous reports on the arrest of participants in the seventh-day memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikurdi, a well-known lawyer and critic of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in Mashhad, states that these arrests, according to information obtained from reliable sources and families, were carried out on a wide scale, arbitrarily, and with the use of violence.
According to these reports, security forces detained a number of attendees without presenting judicial warrants. This was followed by prolonged periods of incommunicado detention, non-transparent transfers between security institutions, severe restrictions on contact with families, and denial of effective access to legal counsel. Several days after the incident, the whereabouts and condition of a significant number of detainees remain unknown.
Sources close to the family report that Narges Mohammadi, on the evening of December 14, 2025, after nearly three days of complete loss of contact with her family, was able to briefly inform them of her situation in a short phone call. During this call, she stated that her arrest involved violence and that, following her transfer, security forces accused her of collaboration with the Israeli government. According to this account, the accusation was raised without presenting evidence and without a formal notification of charges in line with fair trial standards. Mohammadi also reported being beaten at the time of her arrest and said that, as of the time of the call, she had not been officially informed which authority was detaining her. Her request to file a formal complaint regarding the manner of her arrest and the conduct of security agents, according to the Hana Human Rights Organization, underscores the seriousness of alleged violations of her legal rights and the need for an immediate, independent, and effective investigation.
At the same time, reports indicate the arrest of Alieh Motalebzadeh, a human rights activist, during the same event. Available information suggests that a one-month detention order has been issued against her on the broad and recurrent charge of assembly and collusion against national security. Informed sources say she was initially held by the IRGC Intelligence Organization, then transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence, and subsequently to the Intelligence Department in Mashhad. It has also been reported that Motalebzadeh was severely beaten at the time of her arrest and, after transfer, underwent an initial medical examination due to the injuries sustained.
The Hana Human Rights Organization expresses serious concern about the physical condition of Alieh Motalebzadeh. She suffers from breast cancer and has a history of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Her health requires immediate and continuous access to specialized medical care and essential medications, and any deprivation of adequate treatment could directly endanger her life. The organization stresses that full responsibility for any physical harm or irreversible consequences resulting from denial of medical care lies with the security and judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
In addition, families of other detainees have reported brief, limited, and closely monitored phone contacts. Based on information received by the Hana Human Rights Organization, for a number of detainees the interrogating judge of Branch 901 has issued one-month detention orders on the charge of assembly and collusion against national security. The organization notes that this charge has been systematically used in recent years to restrict civil activities and silence critical voices, often without presenting clear and verifiable evidence.
According to a list compiled by the Hana Human Rights Organization, Javad Alikurdi, brother of Khosrow Alikurdi, Narges Mohammadi, Alieh Motalebzadeh, Sepideh Gholian, Hasti Amiri, Pouran Nazemi, Yaser Dehestani, Ali Adinehzadeh, father of the late Abolfazl Adinehzadeh, Tayebeh Nazari, mother of the late lawyer Maryam Arvin, Pouria Najarzadeh, Hassan Bagheri Nia, Heydar Chah Chamandi, Hamed Rasoulkhani, Kamal Jafar Yazdi, Javad Jalali, Vahideh Haghighatparast, also known as Noura Haghi, and Mohammad Hossein Hosseini remain in detention. Precise information about the whereabouts and condition of some of them is still unavailable.
The Hana Human Rights Organization emphasizes that the totality of these cases, including arbitrary arrests, physical violence, prolonged incommunicado detention, denial of access to legal counsel, security-related charges raised without adherence to fair trial guarantees, and threats to the health of ill detainees, constitutes a clear violation of fundamental human rights. These include the right to liberty and personal security, the right to a fair trial, and the right to access healthcare. Such actions are incompatible with the international obligations of the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The organization calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all detainees, transparent disclosure of their places of detention, guaranteed effective access to independent legal counsel, and regular contact with their families. It also demands urgent medical attention and the provision of specialized treatment and essential medications for ill detainees, particularly Alieh Motalebzadeh, as well as an immediate, independent, and effective investigation into reports of violence during arrests and accountability of the responsible authorities. The Hana Human Rights Organization stresses that responsibility for all physical, psychological, and legal consequences arising from these arrests rests with the security and judicial institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran.