The family of a young man arrested during a peaceful demonstration in the provincial city of Iranshahr say they have not heard from him in 10 days.

On June 17, Abdollah Bozorgzadeh was part of a group that had gathered outside the governor’s office to protest against the gang rape of 41 women in the city — and authorities’ failure to prosecute the men responsible.

The protest ended when the governor, Nabi Bakhsh-Davoudi, came out to talk to the crowd and promised them he would do his best to see that case moved forward. But Abdollah’s father, Gholam Ghader Bozorgzadeh, told IranWire that plainclothesmen in an unmarked vehicle arrested his son as he made his way back home. His family learned about his arrest because Abdollah had sent them an audio recording of his conversation with the agents just before he was taken away. The family has posted the recording online, sparking criticism from legal authorities in Iranshahr.

Local sources told Abdollah’s family that, on June 21, Abdollah was transferred from the local detention center operated by the Intelligence Ministry to Salman Detention Center, which is under the control of the Revolutionary Guards.

Abdollah’s father told IranWire that his son is not a criminal, and that he is not guilty of disrupting order or undermining the city’s security. He simply wanted the case of the 41 raped women to be resolved so that Iranshahr could live in peace.

On June 17, he said, “ordinary citizens of Iranshahr called for a gathering outside the governor’s office in the city. My son was one of those protesters. After the news about the rapist gang came out, the city did not feel safe. People have been protesting because they do not want to see those who have violated our sisters get away with it. After promises by the governor the protesters dispersed and went back to their homes. Our home is near the governor’s office and my son was coming back when he was arrested. Since those who carried out the arrest neither had a summons nor were wearing uniforms and were riding in an unmarked car, he decided to make a recording and send the audio file so that we would know. Now these gentlemen object to us publishing the audio. What he did was logical. He wanted us to know about him and to tell others.”

After several days of confusion and worry, the Bozorgzadeh family found out more. “We had no news of him,” his father said. “We asked about him everywhere that we could but had no idea what had happened to him until one of my son’s friends informed us that he had seen Abdollah in the corridors of the courthouse. Two members of our family went to the courthouse and saw Abdollah as he was leaving the interrogation room. He told them: ‘last night they tortured me and now my back hurts and I walk with difficulty.’”

Why So Many Security Forces?

When they went to the courthouse, Abdollah’s relatives were told that he would be released within 48 hours. But, 10 days later, they have heard nothing. “First they said that he had been transferred to the Revolutionary Court. Next they said that the Revolutionary Guards have him. Then they said that he is with the police. His mother and his wife are worried sick. We are in the absolute dark about him. All last night I did not sleep a wink. I am at a complete loss as to whom to appeal to. My son is neither a violent person, nor has he offended anyone. He only asked a question that all local people are asking: Why is a gang able to violate our women when we have all these security agents, Revolutionary Guards, Basiji forces and police officers in Iranshahr?”

Over the last 10 days, Abdollah Bozorgzadeh has not been allowed to call his family. During the inquiry about his son, Abdollah’s father was told that perhaps the way he was treated had something to do with the fact that he is related to Habibollah Sarbazi Bozorgzadeh, the founder of the Baluch Activists Campaign, a campaign outside Iran that supports the civil rights of ethnic Baluchi people. But his father Gholam Ghader Bozorgzadeh said: “Abdollah is a peaceful civil activist who has never violated the law. He has a young child. My wife and my daughter-in-law cry all day. They have not told us what my son is accused of nor where they are keeping him. The only thing they ask is why we published the audio file. Well, when in an unsafe city, [people] in an unmarked car and in civilian clothes stop a young man and take him away by force without showing a summons, shouldn’t he somehow let his family know that they are taking him? How was he to know with whom he was dealing?”