Iranian security forces have detained at least 30 Kurdish religious activists and civilians (in the cities of Saqqez, Sardasht, Bukan and Mahabad) and have transferred them to unknown locations.

Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has been informed that the Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence have raided the houses of a number of religious activists and civilians in Saqqez, Bukan, Mahabad and Sardasht at the same time on Oct 28, 30 and 31. At least 30 people have been arrested and transferred to an unknown location.

15 of the detainees have been identified as: Mamosta Hiwa Khafidi, Mamosta Hesam Mohammadi, Mamosta Mohammad Aman, Mamosta Khazar Akhzar, Sediq Rahmanzadeh, Osama Rahmanzadeh, Sadegh Hassan Peri, Khalid Ghafouri, Nezam (unknown family name), Hadi (unknown family name), Ibrahim Tezour, Shahrooch Tezour, Rahmat Nasouhi, Ahmad Elahi, Abraham Gheitrani and Omid Hammatzadeh,

Among these detainees, Mamosta Hiwa Khafidi (PhD in Arabic Literature and Imam Jamaat, from Ghazloppi Village of Mahabad) was dismissed from work earlier in 2013 by the order of security agencies. He was arrested on Tuesday, October 30, without any warrant by a team of security forces who insulted and beat him up in the process.

More than 100 Sunni Kurdish Civilians are in prisons at different cities of Iran including Orumiyeh,Sanandaj, Kermanshah,Rajai Shahr-e Karaj and Zahedan. Most of these people have faced heavy sentences by the Revolutionary Courts on charges of religious activities or working with extremist religious groups.