Parisa Darvish, a young woman residing in Mashhad, has been reportedly detained by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and taken to an undisclosed location. No security or judicial authority in Iran has formally acknowledged her arrest or confirmed her whereabouts.
Parisa Darvish, approximately 30 years old and a homemaker, has been missing since late February. Her family and close contacts have received no information regarding her physical condition, legal status, or place of detention. Over the past few weeks, her family has made repeated efforts to locate her by contacting security and law enforcement offices in Mashhad, but their inquiries have gone unanswered.
Enforced Disappearance: A Tool of Fear and Repression
Enforced disappearance—a practice condemned by international human rights organizations, including the United Nations—is considered a crime against humanity. In Iran, this method has long been used to silence dissent and spread fear among civil society.
Historically, numerous cases have been documented in which citizens, civil activists, protesters, or even ordinary individuals were arrested without a court warrant and held incommunicado in secret detention centers. Detainees often face psychological pressure, are denied access to legal counsel, and are subjected to coercive interrogations, torture, and forced confessions. Under Article 49 of Iran’s Code of Criminal Procedure, judicial and security officials must promptly inform the detainee’s family and lawyer of the reasons for arrest, location of detention, and potential charges. However, repeated violations of this legal provision—particularly in politically sensitive cases—have become alarmingly routine.
