The Alahwazi Human Rights Organization (A.O.H.R) strongly condemns the arrest, on the morning of Monday, December 8, 2025, of two Arab Sunni citizens—Reza Al-Batrani and Mohammad Al-Nisi—by Iranian security forces in the Kut Abdullah district of Ahwaz city. They were detained after their homes were raided without the presentation of any judicial arrest warrant, and they were taken to an unknown location that may be one of the secret prisons affiliated with the Iranian intelligence services in Ahwaz. Their families still do not know their whereabouts.

According to verified Ahwazi sources who provided reliable information to the organization, the raids included extensive searches and intimidation of both families. This arrest is part of a continuous pattern of violations against Arab Sunni citizens in Ahwaz, who are targeted because of their religious activities and adherence to the Sunni faith, which the Iranian authorities view as a “threat to national security,” including abandoning Shiism and embracing Sunni Islam.

The organization affirms that this arrest constitutes a blatant violation of freedom of religion and belief as guaranteed by Article (18) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which ensures every individual the right to adopt any religion or belief without coercion or threats, and prohibits state interference in peaceful religious practices.

According to the annual arrest statistics published by the Ahwazi Human Rights Organization, detainees from the Sunni community rank second in number of arrests, while political activists and intellectuals rank first. This reflects the Iranian authorities’ targeting of groups engaged in political, religious, and cultural activities in Ahwaz.

The Alahwazi Human Rights Organization (A.O.H.R) reiterates its demand for the immediate release of the two detainees and the disclosure of their whereabouts, holding the Iranian authorities fully responsible for their physical and psychological safety. It calls on the international community and human rights organizations to pressure Iran to halt its ongoing violations against Arab citizens in Ahwaz.

Alahwazi Human Rights Organization (A.O.H.R)