Balochistan Collective Punishment : Woman Arrested in Place of Brother in Chabahar

DOZZAAP (ZAHEDAN): Iranian security forces raided the home of a Baloch family in the Golshahr area of Chabahar, Iranian Occupied Balochistan, on Thursday, arresting a 21-year-old woman, Reyhaneh Irandegani, in place of her brother, who was not present at the time.

The incident has sparked outrage among Baloch citizens and human rights observers, with the family explicitly describing the arrest as an act of hostage-taking and collective punishment.

According to local sources, the offensive was conducted with a heavy security presence, including the use of drones to monitor the area.

Despite the absence of her brother, Iranian security forces detained Reyhaneh Irandegani without presenting a judicial warrant or offering any explanation for her arrest. She was taken to an undisclosed location, and her current condition and whereabouts remain unknown.

Reyhaneh, the daughter of Anwar Irandegani, is a resident of Golshahr, a predominantly Baloch neighbourhood in the south-eastern port city of Chabahar. The Irandegani family stated they have received no official information regarding which agency was responsible for the arrest, the charges being considered, or where Reyhaneh is being held.

The family believes the arrest was carried out solely to pressure her brother into surrendering to the authorities, a tactic they argue constitutes a clear violation of due process and basic human rights.

“This is not an arrest — this is hostage-taking by the state,” a relative told local sources, expressing deep concern for Reyhaneh’s safety and well-being.

The Balochistan United Front and other Baloch advocacy groups have condemned the raid, calling it part of a broader pattern of repression and intimidation against the Baloch people. They have demanded immediate transparency in the case and calling for Reyhaneh Irandegani’s unconditional release.