Iranian security forces have arrested three prominent civil society figures inside the country who were involved in a joint statement calling a peaceful transition away from the Islamic Republic an “inevitable and non-suppressible necessity.” Mehdi Mahmoudian, Abdollah Momeni and Vida Rabani were arrested on Saturday, January 31, 2026, amid an ongoing human rights crisis following the violent suppression of nationwide protests earlier this month, during which thousands of protesters were killed, injured, and arbitrarily arrested. All three detainees are former political prisoners and well-known civil society figures, and their detention appears to be directly linked to their peaceful political and civic activities, including the signing of a public statement and engagement with Persian-language media outlets. As of the time of writing, no official information has been released regarding the legal basis for their arrests, the detaining authority, the charges against them, or their place of detention.
Mahmoudian, Momeni, and Rabani were among the signatories of a statement issued on January 2, 2026, by seventeen political and civil activists, commonly referred to as the “Statement of the Seventeen.” The statement publicly affirmed their support for nationwide protests, said Iran’s Supreme Leader is responsible for the killing of protesters, and called for the prosecution of those responsible for directing and carrying out the repression. The signatories emphasized their commitment to nonviolent struggle, warning security and law enforcement forces against carrying out orders that result in the killing of unarmed civilians.
Following the publication of the statement, 222 additional political and civil activists issued a joint declaration in support of its demands, calling for structural political change and reiterating that repression and violence cannot suppress popular demands. The signatories also urged protesters to adhere to nonviolent methods and to avoid divisive rhetoric.
Reports further indicate that Mehdi Mahmoudian was arrested shortly after signing the statement and giving an interview to BBC Persian. During the interview, Mahmoudian squarely blamed Khamenei for the killings and urged him to step aside and face prosecution. Mahmoudian also warned against foreign intervention, stating that foreign war would undermine domestic democratic agency, deepen social fragmentation, and derail the possibility of a homegrown, accountable transition.
Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has publicly described Mahmoudian as a rare moral presence and trusted figure among prisoners, highlighting his nearly nine years of imprisonment and his role in supporting fellow detainees and documenting prison conditions. Panahi has also stated that Mahmoudian contributed to the screenplay of the film A Simple Accident, drawing on his extensive firsthand experience with Iran’s judicial and prison systems.
In a related development, authorities in Lahijan announced the arrest of another citizen in connection with the January 2026 protests, alleging involvement in an arson targeting a traffic police kiosk. As in the cases of Mahmoudian, Momeni, and Rabani, serious concerns remain regarding due process, transparency, and the use of security-related charges to criminalize protest-related activity.
To date, Iranian authorities have not confirmed whether the detainees have access to legal counsel, nor have they disclosed their place of detention. Their continued incommunicado detention raises grave concerns regarding arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, and the risk of coercive interrogations in violation of Iran’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including protections related to freedom of expression, freedom of association, and the right to a fair trial.
The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) strongly condemns the arrests of Mehdi Mahmoudian, Abdollah Momeni, and Vida Rabani as part of a broader campaign to silence peaceful dissent and dismantle civil society in Iran in the aftermath of the protests. NIAC further emphasizes that the arrest of Mahmoudian, Momeni and Rabani reflects a broader pattern of governance rooted in repression rather than accountability. The mass killing, injury, and arrest of thousands of protesters in the aftermath of nationwide protests underscores the Iranian authorities’ continued reliance on coercion to suppress public demands, deepening the country’s human rights crisis and eroding any remaining avenues for peaceful civic participation.
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