The Alahwazi Organization for Human Rights (A.O.H.R) expresses its profound concern regarding the escalation of security crackdowns and arbitrary arrests targeting Arab citizens in the Ahwaz region. The organization warns against the continued policy of enforced disappearances and the use of fabricated security charges against detainees.

The Disappearance of Ismail Bawi

The organization has documented the ongoing lack of information regarding the fate of a young Ahwazi man, Ismail Bawi (20 years old), son of Abbas, a resident of "Wahaib" village (known as Islamabad 2) on the Ahwaz–Abadan road.

In mid-March 2026 (mid-Esfand 1404), security forces raided his father's home, arrested him, and took him to an undisclosed location. Since his arrest, no contact has been established with him. His family remains unaware of his place of detention, his physical well-being, or the specific charges brought against him. This situation raises serious fears of enforced disappearance or the use of physical and psychological pressure to extort forced confessions.

Security Escalation and Espionage Accusations

This arrest occurs amidst a broader wave of intensified security measures. A few days prior to this statement, the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence announced the arrest of two citizens from the city of Hoveyzeh, accusing them of "collaboration and espionage for Israel and the United States."

A.O.H.R believes that such accusations, which often lack legal transparency and evidence, are used as a political cover to justify systematic repression against Ahwazi activists and citizens. The organization fears that the authorities' silence regarding Ismail Bawi’s fate may be a precursor to his inclusion in similar security-related cases that lack the minimum standards of a fair trial.

International Appeal

The Alahwazi Organization for Human Rights (A.O.H.R) holds the Iranian authorities fully responsible for the lives and safety of all detainees and demands:

1. The immediate disclosure of the whereabouts of Ismail Bawi and the detainees from Hoveyzeh.

2. Granting detainees their right to communicate with their families and access to independent legal counsel.

3. The intervention of international human rights bodies, particularly the UN Special Rapporteur, to pressure Tehran to halt these arbitrary arrests based on ethnic and political grounds.