Balochistan: Hundreds of Baloch Youth Detained in Iran as Families Remain in the Dark
BW News Desk: Hundreds of Baloch youth have been detained and forcibly disappeared amid recent protests in Iranian Occupied Balochistan.
Many are accused by Iranian security forces of participating in demonstrations, while at least three others have been targeted for their long-standing efforts to reclaim legal rights and property.
Families and communities remain largely in the dark about the fate of these individuals, as widespread internet blackouts prevent communication and access to information.
Among those confirmed to be detained are Farhad Jangizahi, Ahmad Rakhshani, Habib Rakhshani, Eshaq Qaljai, Majid Ghasemi, Arman Rakhshani, Hamid Rakhshani, Meysam Damandan, Hamed Arbabzahi, Saeed Hasanzahi, Mehran Bagheri, Saeed Raeisi, and Qader Ejbari.
Additional confirmed detainees include Sina Nahtani, Amirhossein Kadkhodaei, Sanallah Dadvar, Abdolbasir Sepahi, Azim Mohammadi, Mostafa Chandfandeh, Abdolrahman Lalahzahi, Omar Mohajer, and Abid Jadgal. These lists represent only a fraction of the total number of arrested youth, and many others remain unaccounted for.
On February 1, 2026, Iranian forces raided a house in Chabahar, forcibly disappearing three brothers: Mukhtar Hoot, Hamza Hoot and Nazir Ahmad Hoot, all residents of Chabahar. One of the men was reportedly injured by gunfire. A government-affiliated media outlet later broadcast a video labelling the brothers as “armed thieves” and aired their confessions.
According to their family, the confessions were obtained under coercion, without legal representation and their broadcast violates the suspects’ rights. The mother of the three men publicly refuted the government narrative, emphasising that her sons are not criminals but individuals who have been legally seeking the return of their property for over a decade.
The internet shutdown has left families unable to contact their loved ones or connect with media and human rights organisations, further isolating the detainees. Human rights activists are calling on the international community to raise awareness, amplify the voices of the detainees and their families and demand accountability for the Iranian state’s actions.
