In a continuation of the ongoing crackdown against Kurdish and Sunni individuals in Kermanshah, at least eight people from Sarpol-e Zahab have been arrested by Iranian security forces. The detained individuals have been identified as Hamed Elyasi, Yousef Elyasi, Omar Babaei, Mohammad Azizi, Armin Moradi, Mohammad Yousefi, Komar Naderi, and Yousef Nairizi.
According to a report from the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the arrests took place on January 6, 2025, when Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence forces apprehended three Sunni residents of Sarpol-e Zahab—Mohammad Azizi, Mohammad Yousefi, and Armin Moradi—on one of the streets of Kermanshah.
Simultaneously, the IRGC raided several homes in Sarpol-e Zahab, arresting five more individuals, including Hamed Elyasi, Yousef Elyasi, Omar Babaei, Komar Naderi, and Yousef Nairizi. Witnesses report that the raids were conducted violently, further intensifying fears in the local community.
These eight detainees have since been transferred to the Nabi Akram IRGC detention center in Kermanshah, where they have made brief phone calls to their families, confirming their arrests. However, the details regarding the reasons for their detention remain unclear.
This wave of arrests is part of a broader crackdown on Kurdish Sunni activists. In December 2024, Iranian security forces arrested 19 Kurdish Sunni activists from the cities of Javanrud, Paveh, and Sarpol-e Zahab, with only one detainee being released so far. The authorities have not provided any clarity about the charges against these individuals.
Human rights groups, including Hengaw, continue to monitor the situation, raising concerns about the treatment of religious and ethnic minorities in Iran.