Sadegh Mahmoudnezhad, a 23-year-old protester who suffered an eye injury during the Women Life Freedom anti-government uprising in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan Province, was imprisoned at Naqadeh Prison after being summoned to the Enforcement of Judgements Office in Piranshahr on 2 January.
The Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province, had sentenced Mahmoudnezhad to five years and six months in prison on charges of “acting against national security” due to his alleged “membership” in a Kurdish opposition party and involvement in “propaganda against the state.”
This sentence comes after a prior verdict in August 2023 by Branch 102 of the Criminal Court of Piranshahr, which sentenced Mahmoudnezhad to three months in prison term and 30 lashes on charges of “disturbing public order and peace by participating in protests” and “inciting individuals to violence through social media”.
Later, this sentence was commuted to a fine of 80 million rials – nearly 160 USD.
Mahmoudnezhad, a 23-year-old civilian from Piranshahr, suffered a severe eye injury from pellet shots fired by military-security forces during the anti-government protests in the city on 21 September 2022.
Despite undergoing multiple surgeries in different hospitals, he retains only 20 percent vision in his left eye.
On 3 July 2023, security forces arrested Mahmoudnezhad without a warrant at his family home in Piranshahr and took him to the Ministry of Intelligence detention centre in the city.
After initial interrogation, the young man was transferred to Naqadeh Prison and temporarily released on 15 July 2023 on bail of 40 billion rials – nearly 80,000 USD.
