Arrest of 16-Year-Old Teenager Eight Months After January Protests

Breathing in Confinement, Sunday, 4 October 2026: Alireza Rashidi, a 16-year-old teenager from Ashkhaneh in North Khorasan Province, has been arrested by security forces in connection with his participation in the nationwide protests in January.

According to Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, Alireza Rashidi was arrested on Wednesday, 30 September, after security forces identified him in connection with his participation in the January protests.

According to information received, intelligence forces identified the teenager approximately eight months after the January protests after obtaining a video showing him taking part in the demonstrations and subsequently sought to arrest him.

After identifying Alireza Rashidi, intelligence forces contacted his father and informed him that an arrest warrant had been issued for the teenager. Alireza, who had previously been in Tehran, returned to Ashkhaneh after learning of the matter. On Wednesday, 30 September, he voluntarily presented himself to the security forces and was arrested.

Despite several days having passed since his arrest, no precise information is currently available regarding the authority or authorities responsible for his arrest, his place of detention, his physical and psychological condition, or the charges brought against him.

Alireza Rashidi was only 16 years old at the time of his arrest. Under human rights principles and standards, children and adolescents are entitled to special protections and safeguards in judicial and criminal proceedings. The best interests of the child, informing the family of the child’s situation and place of detention, effective access to legal counsel, and the right to a fair trial are among the rights that must be upheld for individuals under the age of 18.

At the time of writing, no further information has been released regarding Alireza Rashidi’s legal status or fate.