In Cairo, Iranian security officials arrived at 2 a.m. in six vehicles and parked outside the home of the Naqi sisters. They woke Nyusha and Mona, demanding their mobile phone passwords before taking them away.
The sisters are alleged to have been involved in the nationwide protests that erupted in Iran a week ago, according to two friends who spoke to the Associated Press, opting to remain anonymous for safety reasons regarding their arrests on January 16.
These arrests are part of a widespread government crackdown on protests that have called for an end to the country’s theocratic regime. Reports indicate an aggressive search, impacting people across urban and rural areas alike. Various segments of society have been affected, including reformist figures associated with President Massoud Pezeshkian, university students, doctors, lawyers, teachers, actors, business leaders, athletes, and filmmakers.
Activists observing the situation note that many detainees face isolation for extended periods, without any contact with family or legal counsel. This leaves families anxiously searching for their loved ones.
The US-based Human Rights Defenders News Agency estimates over 50,000 arrests, although the Associated Press could not verify this claim. Tracking detainees has become increasingly difficult since Iranian authorities cut off internet access, making it hard to disseminate information.
Organizations outside Iran continue to document the arrests. Shiva Nazarahari, an organizer with one such group, mentioned that authorities are relentlessly identifying and detaining individuals.
So far, this committee has confirmed the names of over 2,200 arrests, with those caught up including 107 university students, 82 children under 13, 19 lawyers, and 106 doctors.
Nazarahari indicated that authorities are examining city street cameras, store surveillance, and drone footage to track down protesters at their homes and workplaces.
Unreachable for Weeks
Protests began in late December, ignited by frustration over rising prices, and quickly spread nationwide—peaking on January 8 and 9, with hundreds of thousands protesting in more than 190 locations. Security forces reacted with unprecedented violence, leading the Human Rights Defenders News Agency to report more than 7,000 deaths, although the actual number is likely higher. The Iranian government released a count of 3,117 deaths, which some believe downplays the actual toll from earlier disturbances.
The hardline cleric Gholamhossein Mohseni Ecehi, head of Iran’s judiciary, has become a prominent figure in the crackdown, labeling protesters as “terrorists” and calling for immediate punishment.
“The scale of the detentions is suffocating for society,” a protester from Gohardasht, a middle-class area near Tehran, expressed. He mentioned that several of his relatives and friends were killed in the initial crackdown days, speaking anonymously to protect himself from the authorities.
The Naqi sisters were reportedly taken first to Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, where they briefly managed to contact their parents, before being shifted to Qarchak, a women’s prison outside the capital. Human rights groups had previously highlighted overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions there.
Other detainees have also gone missing. Abolfazul Jazvi’s family has not heard from him since his arrest on January 15 in Isfahan, and he has a serious medical condition that requires medication. Atilla Sultanpour, 45, has been unreachable since January 29 after a violent arrest at her home in Tehran, according to a lawyer group monitoring the detentions.
Authorities have also resorted to freezing bank accounts, blocking SIM cards, and confiscating property belonging to relatives of protesters or those who have shown public support.
In earlier protests, authorities sometimes adhered to legal procedures, but this time seems different; detainees are often denied legal access and held for long stretches before being allowed to contact their families. Some lawyers representing the detained face summons or even detention themselves.
“Compliance with the law is at an all-time low,” noted one observer.
Signs of Resistance Persist
Despite the repression, various civil society organizations have continued to make bold statements. The Iranian Writers’ Association condemned the ongoing protests as a reaction against decades of systemic corruption and discrimination.
In a statement, the National Council of School Teachers urged families to voice their concerns about detained students, encouraging them not to fear threats from security forces.
A representative indicated that at least 200 minors have lost their lives during the crackdown, a number that has risen recently. “Every day we hope for the last tragic list, yet every morning brings more names,” remarked one activist.
Bar associations and medical organizations have also raised their voices, demanding that authorities cease the harassment of healthcare professionals.
Amid rising anger over the bloodshed and economic collapse caused by years of sanctions and mismanagement, the Iranian government’s currency has rapidly declined, and inflation has surged to unprecedented levels.
The government responded with initiatives like launching a coupon program for essential goods, while various labor and industry groups criticized the escalating economic and political crisis.
In the backdrop, U.S. President Donald Trump has mobilized military assets in the Persian Gulf and warned Iran of potential military action should it continue its violent repression of demonstrators or resort to mass executions.
Although Iran’s leadership has historically countered protests and U.S. threats, this latest crackdown highlights its tightening grip on power. Nonetheless, some observers believe that the intensity of current measures reflects a fear of losing control over the country.
