Kurdish singer and musician Shoresh Abubakri arrested at Sardasht prosecutor's office

Shoresh Abubakri, a Kurdish singer, tar player and music producer from Sardasht who is known by the stage name "Şoreswar" (شۆڕەسوار), was arrested on Sunday, 11 October 2026, at the Sardasht Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office on the prosecutor's orders. No news about where he is being held or what charges he faces had been published as of Monday, 12 October.

According to the artist's family, security forces linked to the IRGC had repeatedly threatened him and summoned him by phone in the days before his arrest. Shoresh Abubakri went to the prosecutor's office with his lawyer, Osman Mazin, to follow up on a judicial matter and file a complaint about this unlawful conduct, but he was arrested there and taken to an unknown location. The human rights organisations Hengaw and HRANA have also confirmed his arrest.

History of security pressure on Shoresh Abubakri

This is not the first time the Islamic Republic's security bodies have targeted this artist. On the night of 8 January 2024, security forces raided his home, armed and without a judicial warrant, and took him to a security detention centre in Urmia for interrogation. He was released on 1 February 2024 on bail of 500 million tomans, and in February–March 2024 Branch 1 of the Sardasht Revolutionary Court acquitted him of the charge of "propaganda against the system".

Shoresh Abubakri is a well-known figure in Sardasht's music scene and founded the "Avay Kurd" (Voice of the Kurds) music school in the city; the school's licence was revoked several years ago. His arrest while approaching a judicial body recalls the arrest of lawyer Amirsalar Davoudi at the Isfahan Revolutionary Court and shows that even pursuing a complaint through legal channels puts dissenting citizens at risk of arrest.

Shoresh Abubakri went to the prosecutor's office to complain about threats from security forces and was arrested there.