According to reports received by the Hana Human Rights Organization, on Monday, July 21, 2025, at least five Kurdish residents of the village of Mirgeh Nakhshineh, located in Saqqez County, were arrested by police forces on the orders of the Saqqez public prosecutor. The arrests followed local protests against the harmful activities of a gold mining company operating in the area.
The identities of three of the detainees have been confirmed as:
- Latif Moradi, the village chief (dehyar),
- Mozaffar Moradi, a licensed attorney, and
- Behzad Moradi, Mozaffar’s brother.
A local source told HANA that the gold mining company has caused irreversible environmental damage by extensively destroying orchards, roads, and surrounding mountains near the village. This environmental degradation has sparked protests from local residents and environmental activists.
Previously, several citizens had also signed a petition demanding the cessation of the mine’s operations due to its environmental impacts.