On the evening of Saturday, June 21, 2025 (31 Khordad 1404), six security agents stormed Hosein Mirbahari’s home in Pardis, Tehran, without presenting any court order. They searched the house, confiscated his computer and mobile phone, severely beat him, and took him to an unknown location — without allowing him access to his life-sustaining medications. His worried family has still not received any information regarding his health or the reason for his arrest. Surveillance cameras confirmed that security forces were behind this abduction. Hosein suffers from multiple medical conditions and needs his medications daily.
Hosein Mirbahari is a well-known and beloved figure — a friend and advocate for street and working children. He began his work in 2000 (1379) through the project “The Naser Khosro Children’s House” and is one of the founders of the organization Society for the Defense of Working and Street Children in Pasgah-e Nematabad. For many years, he has tirelessly fought to protect vulnerable children. He has always been the voice of the young laborers who, due to poverty, misery, and inequality, have been forced into the brutal labor market. He was abducted at a time when street and working children, in the current state of war, need his support, dedication, and presence more than ever.
The Islamic Republic is attempting to criminalize social work and children’s rights organizations — using legal actions, arrests, and prison sentences — in order to prevent revelations about the catastrophic state of children’s rights.
Following its humiliating failures in military and nuclear ventures, the regime — in a state of desperation — is escalating repression, attacking social activists through abductions, arrests, and fabricated legal cases, in an attempt to stifle the growing wave of social protests.
Child rights activists do not belong in prison. The brutal abduction and beating of Hosein Mirbahari is strongly condemned. His “crime” is fighting to end child labor and to defend the violated rights of children. He must be immediately and unconditionally released — so he can stand once again with the vulnerable children, as he always has.
Children First Now
1 Tir 1404 – 22 June 2025
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