Saadoun Ghazali

Arrest

Saadoun Ghazali, a Kurdish citizen from Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province, was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence forces at his family home on 21 June 2025 and taken to the ministry’s detention facility in Orumiyeh.

He was provisionally released on bail of 30 billion rials on 3 September 2025, after approximately three months in detention.

During his detention, he was denied access to a lawyer and family visits.

Judicial Process

In August 2026, Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Mahabad, presided over by Judge Siyami, sentenced Ghazali to one year’s imprisonment and an additional one-year suspended prison term on the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security”.

Current Status

Ghazali was summoned to the Enforcement of Sentences Office of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Mahabad on 2 September 2026.

After reporting to the office, he was transferred to Mahabad Prison to serve his sentence.

Notes:

1. Article 610 of the Islamic Penal Code: “If two or more individuals gather and conspire to commit crimes against the internal or external security of the country or to facilitate the means for committing such crimes, they shall be sentenced to two to five years’ imprisonment, unless they are considered mohareb (those who commit enmity against God).”