Three Kurdish Men, Including Poet Hawar Rojhelati, Arrested in Iran Without Warrants
Three Kurdish men — Kamal Oqabi from Oshnavieh, Askar Najafi from Sarpol-e Zahab, and poet and writer Hassan Falaeian, known by his pen name Hawar Rojhelati — have been arrested by Iran’s Intelligence Department and taken to unknown locations, according to the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.
The arrests appear to be part of a broader crackdown on Kurdish citizens and activists.
On June 27, 2025, Kamal Oqabi, from the village of Bala Geer in Oshnavieh (Shno), was detained during a raid on his home. Authorities have not disclosed his whereabouts or condition three days later. He had previously been arrested in July 2024.
On June 25, 2025, Askar Najafi was arrested at his workplace in the Qasr-e Shirin market in Sarpol-e Zahab. Five days have passed with no updates on his status.
On June 22, 2025, writer and poet Hassan Falaeian (pen name Hawar Rojhelati) was taken from his shop in Piranshahr. Eight days later, his location and condition remain unknown.
None of the arrests were carried out with court-issued warrants, and no charges have been publicly announced. Families and rights groups fear for the safety of the detained, especially amid concerns over Iran’s documented use of torture and forced confessions in politically motivated cases.
