The Current Canadians desperate for information about friends and family in Iran
Feb 11, 2026
Nima Golcini, a Toronto-based relative of an Iranian doctor, shares his cousin’s arrest and release. Leila Afshari, an Iranian-Canadian artist, recounts her brother’s disappearance and death. Liz Hoath, a CBC journalist, reports on Canadians desperate for news amid Iran’s communications blackout. They discuss clinic raids, arrests of medical staff, protests by exiled communities, and efforts to locate and free detainees.
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Art Turned Into Risk
- Leila Afshari showed her brother Ehsan's 16-year-old music video tribute to Neda Agha Sultan as a form of protest art.
- The video made him a target, prompting his parents to send him to Sweden for safety.
Missing For 12 Days
- Leila's brother went missing during the Jan 8–9 crackdown and was unaccounted for 12 days amid a communications blackout.
- His family later found his body reportedly with fatal wounds, leaving them traumatized and uncertain about exact circumstances.
Surgeon Arrested After Treating Protesters
- Nima Golcini waited weeks with little information before learning his cousin, surgeon Ali Reza, had been arrested after treating protesters.
- The family mobilized petitions and media attention to raise his profile while communications were restricted.