As the wave of public protests across Iran enters its second week, reports indicate an intensification of state repression, including the arrest of civilians—among them children—and a rising death toll. These developments have raised serious concerns among human rights organizations and the families of those affected.

Arrest of Kurdish Children in Ilam: Complete Lack of Information

According to reports received by the Hengaw Human Rights Organization, on the evening of Sunday, January 4, 2026, three Kurdish minors—Amirali Abdian (16) and Sadra Mansouri and Firouz Faraji (both 17), all residents of Ilam—were arrested by Iranian security forces near Khomeini Hospital in Ilam and transferred to an unknown location.

Despite repeated efforts by their families, no information has been provided regarding the reasons for their arrest, the charges against them, their place of detention, or their physical and legal condition. The continued absence of information has significantly heightened concerns about possible ill-treatment, coercion, and violations of the fundamental rights of these detained minors.

New Wave of Arrests in Kermanshah Province

Simultaneously, Kermanshah Province has witnessed a new wave of arrests. Between January 1 and January 3, 2026, at least nine civilians were detained in the cities of Kermanshah, Harsin, Sahabad, and Gilan-e Gharb by Iranian security forces.

Those arrested include Ehsan Hayati, Mohammad Ziyadi, Meysam Behzadi, Mohammadvali Rahim, Ali Cheraghi, Milad Alibeygi, Saeed Darvishi, Yousef Salkhordeh, and Dolaram Kazemi. While reports indicate that Dolaram Kazemi has since been released, no official information has been disclosed regarding the whereabouts, legal status, or alleged charges against the remaining detainees.

Protest Death Toll Rises Across Multiple Provinces

Verified reports confirm the identities of at least 17 civilians killed during recent protests in the provinces of Kermanshah, Lorestan, Hamedan, Fars, Ilam, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and Isfahan.

Of those killed, nine were from the Lur community, seven were Kurdish civilians (including one follower of the Yarsan faith), and one was a Persian civilian. In addition, at least six further cases of protester deaths remain under investigation by human rights monitors.

State-affiliated media have also reported the deaths of two individuals in the city of Qom, one of whom was 17 years old. However, their identities and circumstances have yet to be independently verified.

Taha Safari: A 15-Year-Old Student “Abducted” and Returned Dead

One of the most alarming cases involves Taha Safari, a 15-year-old Lur student originally from Kamfiruz, Fars Province, and residing in the city of Azna.

According to Hengaw and sources close to the family, Taha Safari was arrested and forcibly taken away by security forces on the evening of Thursday, January 1, 2026, during protests in Azna. On Saturday morning, his family was informed by the Intelligence Office in Khorramabad that he had been killed.

Family sources report that a body bearing gunshot wounds to the head and face was shown to them. Due to the severity of the injuries, the body was unrecognizable and could only be identified through his jacket. Security forces reportedly pressured and threatened the family to declare the cause of death as a “traffic accident” and to bury the body quietly without holding a public funeral.

Official Rhetoric and Security-Based Narratives

In response to the nationwide protests, the Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, described protesters as “rioters” in a speech delivered on January 5, 2026, accusing them of links to “foreign intelligence services.”

These remarks followed statements made days earlier by Iran’s Supreme Leader and reflect a continued security-oriented narrative that dismisses public grievances and seeks to justify violent repression by attributing protests to external actors.

Taken together, the arbitrary detention of minors, widespread arrests without transparency, and the use of lethal force against protesters demonstrate a severe escalation of Iran’s human rights crisis. Human rights organizations have warned that the continuation of these practices poses grave risks to the lives and safety of civilians—particularly children and members of ethnic and religious minorities—and have called for urgent international attention and accountability.