Arrest of Beeta Shafiei in Al-Muhammara days after her mother’s detention

Human rights reports and activists have confirmed that the authorities in Iran arrested Beeta Shafiei, a teenage civil activist, in the city of Al-Muhammara in Ahwaz, just a few days after the arrest of her mother, Maryam Abbasi Nikoo, in Shahin Shahr.

Independent journalist Hedieh Kimiai announced the news on her account on the “X” platform (formerly Twitter), noting that the arrest of Beeta Shafiei, the daughter of Maryam Abbasi Nikoo from Shahin Shahr, took place under unclear circumstances.

According to the report, security forces detained the young activist around 4:00 a.m. local time in Al-Muhammara.

The arrest of Beeta Shafiei comes only four days after her mother, Maryam Abbasi Nikoo, was detained in Shahin Shahr. Both mother and daughter had previously been arrested and legally questioned by the authorities in Tehran due to their involvement in civil activities and social demands.

Reports confirmed that the two activists repeatedly expressed, like many Iranian citizens, their desire to secure the basic and essential conditions for a normal and dignified life in Iran.

It is worth noting that Beeta Shafiei had previously been detained by government forces in 2022 during the protests that erupted following the student poisoning incidents in Shahin Shahr, and she was released after a period of detention. Her mother, Maryam Abbasi Nikoo, also has a history of legal prosecutions and harassment related to her civil society activities.