Four residents of Saqqez “Aras Azizi,” “Hzhir Shahnazi Ilo,” “Artin Kalahar,” and “Arian Othmani” who were arrested during the January 2026 protests, are facing serious security-related charges, raising concerns about the possibility of severe judicial sentences against them.
According to Kolbarnews, 17-year-old Aras Azizi, Hzhir Shahnazi Ilo, Artin Kalahar, and Arian Othmani, a kickboxing athlete and provincial champion, were arrested by security forces during the January 2026 protests in Saqqez and transferred to the city’s Central Prison. According to available information, Aras Azizi and Arian Othmani were temporarily released in recent days after posting heavy bail, while Artin Kalahar and Hzhir Shahnazi Ilo remain in detention and the status of their cases remains unclear.
According to existing documents, all four individuals are facing security-related charges and are at risk of receiving heavy sentences. In this regard, Aras Azizi, a 17-year-old minor from Saqqez, has been charged with “disrupting national security,” “acting against national security,” and “cooperation with elements affiliated with the Zionist regime through the manufacture of Molotov cocktails with the aim of creating unrest.”
Informed sources have also reported that the child was subjected to pressure by the Islamic Republic’s security institutions during detention and was forced to provide self-incriminating confessions.
In another section of the documents, Hzhir Shahnazi Ilo is accused of manufacturing Molotov cocktails and “creating a security crisis” in line with the objectives of the PAK Party. The case further alleges that the party maintains direct ties with Mossad and that Hzhir Shahnazi Ilo operated under the guidance of one of its members. Based on these allegations, prosecutors have reportedly requested the maximum possible punishment for him.
The presentation of such accusations by the Saqqez Intelligence Office, particularly under current circumstances, has heightened concerns regarding the judicial process, the condition of the detainees, and the possibility of severe sentences being issued against them.
It should be noted that on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Arian Othmani and Hzhir Shahnazi Ilo, both from the city of Saheb in Saqqez County, were arrested by government forces along with another citizen, “Hamed Delavari,” from Saqqez.
