Five environmental activists, called Arman Ghafouri, Sahar Kazemi, Kaveh Babamoradi,Varia Khosravi and Shawgar Golabi who were arrested by security forces in the cities of Sanandaj and Marivan, are still detained by the Ministry of Intelligence and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) but their fate is unknown.
An environmental activist, in Sanandaj, who wished to stay anonymous for security reasons, has told Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) that a number of environmental activists have been arrested in Sanandaj and Marivan during the past three months but only Zanyar Golabi was released from the Intelligence Ministry’s Detention Facility in the City of Sanandaj last week on bail.
According to this source, Kaveh Babamoradi, who was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence in Sanandaj on June 20, 2018, has been able to call his family several times and inform them that he had been held at the Intelligence Ministry’s Detention Centre in the city of Sanandaj.
Reporting on the situation of other detainees including Sahar Kazemi, Vera Khosravi and Shawgar Golabi arrested on Aug 9, 2018 and Oct 17, 2018 respectively, this source added that these three detained environmental activists are still being deprived of the right to visit their family.
Controversial information has been released on the situation of Arman Ghafouri, an active member of the Green Chiay Association who was arrested in Marivan on July 24 and transferred to an unknown location. Earlier in early September, some local agencies reported that this detainee had been killed at the Intelligence Ministry’s Detention Facility in the City of Sanandaj. As a result, his family and relatives are increasingly concerned.
In this regard, a number of civil activists from Marivan called on the executive authorities to clarify the situation of this environmental activist on Monday, Aug 27, 2018, by gathering in front of the city’s Governorate Office. During the gathering, government officials denied the news and announced the imminent release of Arman Ghafouri.
While a number of news sites have reported the transfer of Ghafouri to Marivan prison, his family still remains unaware of the fate of their son.
During the past few months, the Ministry of Intelligence and IRGC in various cities have summoned or detained dozens of environmental activists, religious activists and civilians of Kurdistan. Currently, numerous detainees are still under interrogation at the Intelligence Ministry’s Detention Facility in Sanandaj and Orumiyeh.
