Wave of Arrests Ahead of the Second Anniversary of Mahsa's Death; At Least Four Citizens Arrested in Divandareh

Continuing the arrests ahead of the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death while in the custody of the Guidance Patrol, several citizens were arrested in Divandareh, Kurdistan Province, without any charges announced and 'with violence' by the IRGC intelligence forces. According to the Hengaw website, on Sunday, September 18, IRGC intelligence agents in Divandareh carried out a 'widespread arrest of citizens,' with the identities of four of them confirmed so far. The report states that 'Navid Sharifi, Farhad Qamari, Mohammad Amini, and Foolad Moradi' are the names of the four citizens identified among those arrested on Sunday morning. The report indicates that these individuals were arrested 'using violence' and their homes were 'searched by the IRGC intelligence forces,' but the reasons for their arrests, the charges against them, and their places of detention remain unclear. The government's efforts to arrest citizens in various regions of Iran have intensified in recent days ahead of the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death and the nationwide protests that followed. Among those targeted, Afsun Najafi, the sister of Hadith Najafi, reported that agents stormed her parents' home to arrest her, stating on Instagram: 'At eight this morning, agents raided my parents' house, searched the computers and phones, showed my arrest warrant, and demanded my address, saying that they wanted to tell her to return to Iran and repent.' Following Mahsa (Zhina) Amini's death in the custody of the Guidance Patrol on September 16, 2022, a widespread wave of protests erupted across Iran, continuing for months in the streets, universities, and schools. During the crackdown on these protests by government forces, hundreds of citizens were killed, and thousands were injured and arrested. As the second anniversary of these protests approaches, several student organizations and students in Iran have issued a statement emphasizing that they continue to stand against 'this inhumane government' and will fight to 'permanently challenge' and 'destroy' it. The students' statement reads: 'We neither forgive, nor forget, nor express regret, nor fear, and we do not turn back from the path we have taken. The Islamic Republic will be destroyed sooner or later by the revolutionary victory that is flowing in the veins of society.' Additionally, photos of Mahsa Amini have been shared by her father as the second anniversary of her death approaches. A rally of cars was held in Washington, D.C. ahead of the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death. A wave of arrests of citizens in Kurdish regions has intensified ahead of the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death. More than 20 independent Iranian women's organizations have stated that the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement has entered a new phase.