Exclusive; A Mother and Daughter Arrested in East Azerbaijan by 'More than 25 Plainclothes Officers'

An activist from East Azerbaijan province told Voice of America that his mother and sister were arrested in the city of Malekan by a number of plainclothes officers who introduced themselves as employees of the Social Security Organization and were transferred to an unknown location. Akram Kouhian and Farangis Fathi, the mother and sister of Mehdi Kouhian, an activist from Malekan who currently resides in Germany, were arrested on Sunday afternoon, May 13, at their private home during a raid by 'more than 25 plainclothes officers' who 'covered their faces.' Mehdi Kouhian said about the arrest of his two family members that early Sunday morning 'five officers who introduced themselves as representatives of the Social Security Organization' went to their house, and after his mother, Farangis Fathi, opened the door, 'they stormed into the house.' According to Mr. Kouhian, his sister Akram Kouhian protested this action and told them, 'You arrest women in the street for not observing hijab; how can you storm into our house without warning while I am not wearing hijab and look at me?' The report states that the officers ignored this protest and searched their home. Mehdi Kouhian also said that around 2 PM, 'more than 25 officers' attacked their house again, and while the family 'had locked the door from the inside, the officers broke the windows, opened the door, and entered the house.' According to Mehdi Kouhian, the plainclothes officers confiscated electronic devices including mobile phones and computers, and also took his brother's car 'while he was not at home' from the parking lot. He said it is unclear which agency or agencies these individuals were representing. They were in plain clothes and had covered their faces. Mehdi Kouhian described the method of arresting his mother and sister as 'absolute kidnapping' and expressed concern for their situation, stating that 'the family is unaware of their status, and no agency has been accountable so far.' He noted that Akram Kouhian, who is 45 years old and a graduate in educational sciences, suffers from diabetes and 'injects insulin twice a day,' while Farangis Fathi, 70 years old, 'suffers from high blood pressure' and they do not have access to their medications while in detention, thus increasing the concern of their relatives. Mehdi Kouhian emphasized that his mother and sister 'have not engaged in any political or civil activities' and that they only followed up on his situation when this civil activist was detained in Iran. Mr. Kouhian speculated that the arrest of his mother and sister was due to pressure on him and added: 'Previously, due to political activities in Iran, including informing about the protests in Malekan in 2022 and then activities abroad, my family had been pressured, summoned, and threatened.' He also said: 'Previously, the summonses were from the Ministry of Intelligence, but today it is unclear which agency or agencies visited our house, and this is a hostage-taking and absolute kidnapping to pressure me.' The arrest of activists and political and civil activists in East and West Azerbaijan provinces, as well as Ardabil, has previously made headlines. Also see: Exclusive; Continued arrests related to the drying of Lake Urmia on charges of conspiracy and collusion. Another case is the arrest of Roya Zakeri, known as the 'Girl from Tabriz.' While serving her sentence in Tabriz Central Prison, she was transferred for the second time to Razi Psychiatric Hospital in early April. Also see: Slogans against Khamenei and the beating of the 'Girl from Tabriz'; transfer from prison to psychiatric hospital. Manoochehr Bakhtiari was sentenced to an additional 13 months and 15 days in prison due to 'case-making in prison.' Ali Aghil, a political activist, was transferred to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad to serve a five-year sentence. The Tehran Court of Appeals rejected a journalist's request for conditional release due to 'the necessary punishment of such offenders.' Sadegh Zibakalam was transferred to prison on charges of 'propaganda against the regime and publishing false information.' Protests against the arrest of Daniel Moghadam and Vafa Ahmadpour; Nasir Mashkouri: We are witnessing the emergence of a new type of 'resistance music' in Iran. The reaction of activist teachers in Iran to the conviction of Mohammad Rasoulof: Cancel this 'medieval and oppressive' sentence.