ERBIL — Iranian security forces arrested at least 93 individuals across the country in August, according to data compiled by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, among those detained, Kurdish and Baloch activists were disproportionately targeted.

The report revealed that 43% of those arrested were Kurds, with 40 individuals detained. Balochs constituted the second-largest group, with 23 arrests, accounting for 25% of the total. The remaining arrests included Turks, Persians, and other ethnicities.

The arrests included a significant number of female activists and minors. At least 10 women were detained, six of whom were Kurdish. Five children under the age of 18 were also among those arrested, including three Baloch and two Kurdish minors.

The arrests spanned across various provinces in Iran, with Sistan and Baluchistan Province witnessing the highest number of detentions with 20 cases. In Urmia Province, 18 individuals, all Kurds, were arrested. Other provinces with notable arrests include Kermanshah (14 cases), Khuzestan (9 cases), and Kurdistan (7 cases). Smaller numbers of arrests were reported in Tehran, Kerman, East Azerbaijan, Markezi, Ardabil, Razavi Khorasan, and several other provinces.

The Iranian’s crackdown extended to religious minorities, with at least seven Sunni Kurdish and Baloch activists and two Baha’i activists detained in August. 

Security forces also targeted educators and cultural figures. Mukhtar Asadi, a teacher from Sanandaj, was among those arrested.

Two singers, Taha Rasoulian from Piranshahr and Behrad Alikanari from Ahvaz, were also detained, reflecting the regime’s broader crackdown on artistic expression.

The wave of arrests across Iran last month follows the detention of 92 people by security forces in July 2024. According to the Hengaw Organization, the highest number of arrests in July was among Kurds, with 49 cases recorded.

The ongoing arrests highlight the Iranian government’s intensified repression of ethnic minorities, activists, and religious groups, drawing concern from human rights organizations both within and outside Iran.