Iranian Authorities Detain Relatives of 2022 Protest Victims

Islamic Republic security forces have arrested several relatives of victims of the 2022 nationwide protests in recent days, in a move that appears to be aimed at deterring further demonstrations.

The latest arrest was that of Nasrin Alizadeh, the sister of Shirin Alizadeh, who was killed by security forces during the protests. 

Alizadeh was arrested in Isfahan on Wednesday, August 23. 

Other relatives who have been arrested in recent days include Mahsa Yazdani, the mother of Mohammad Javad Zahedi, who was also killed during the protests, and Mashallah Karmi, the father of Mohammed Mehdi Karmi, who was executed in connection with the protests.

The arrests come as the anniversary of the start of the protests approaches.

The arrests of the relatives of the victims are seen as a way for the government to intimidate and silence those who might speak out against the government.

The September 2022 death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini sparked a wave of nationwide anger. She had been arrested for allegedly wearing a hijab improperly.

The nationwide protest movement appears to have waned in recent months following a bloody crackdown by security forces.

More than 500 people have been killed in the clampdown and over 20,000 have been unlawfully detained, activists say.

Amnesty International has condemned the Iranian government's treatment of the families of protest victims, calling it a "campaign of intimidation" in a report on August 21.

The report documented the cases of 36 victims' families from 10 provinces across the country who have been subjected to human rights violations in recent months.