Arbitrary Arrest of Two Baloch Adolescents in Isfahan and Continued Enforced Disappearance

On Monday, 5 January 2026, two Baloch adolescents were arrested by military forces in the city of Isfahan after leaving their place of residence and were transferred to an unknown location. More than forty-eight hours after their arrest, their families remain completely unaware of their whereabouts, physical and psychological condition, or the authority responsible for their detention. This prolonged lack of information has significantly heightened concerns, particularly given that both detainees are minors.
According to verified information, both individuals are under the age of 18. One of the detained adolescents is Omid Nikzad, approximately 16 years old, son of Abdolsamad, from the city of Paroud in Rask County. The other is Mohammadkarim Seydi, 17 years old, son of Shirmohammad, from the village of Bandan in Sarbaz County. Both adolescents had traveled to Isfahan for medical treatment. Their arrest was carried out without any official explanation or disclosure of the legal grounds for their detention.
Approximately thirty hours after the arrest, only one extremely brief phone call—lasting about one minute—was allowed for one of the adolescents to inform his family of his detention. Since that time, no further information has been provided, and repeated inquiries by family members have yielded no response.
The continued incommunicado detention, denial of access to legal counsel, lack of information regarding the place of detention, and disregard for the detainees’ age constitute serious violations of the rights of children. These circumstances raise grave concerns regarding breaches of fundamental fair trial guarantees, including the prohibition of arbitrary arrest, the presumption of innocence, and the right of families to be promptly informed of the detention of their children. Given the minors’ age, the failure to apply special protections required for children in contact with security and judicial authorities is particularly alarming.
It is important to note that due to inadequate healthcare infrastructure, lack of medical facilities, and shortages of specialized physicians in Balochistan, many patients are compelled to travel to central provinces for medical treatment. In this context, numerous reports have documented discriminatory, unlawful, and ethnically based profiling of Baloch citizens by military forces at checkpoints and security controls. The arrest of these two adolescents occurred within this broader pattern and may reflect a troubling practice of structural discrimination.
In light of these concerns, the relevant authorities must urgently disclose the location of detention, ensure the physical and psychological well-being of the two adolescents, and clarify the legal basis for their arrest. Immediate access to family members and independent legal counsel must be guaranteed. Upholding the fundamental rights of children, in accordance with domestic law and international human rights obligations, is an urgent and non-negotiable requirement.