Setayesh Sarabi

Arrest

Setayesh (Behnoush) Sarabi, a Kurdish citizen from Qorveh, Kurdistan Province, was arrested by security forces during the January 2026 protests. She was provisionally released on bail after a period in detention.

During her detention, she was denied access to legal counsel and family visits.

Judicial Process

In July 2026, Branch 102 of Criminal Court Two of Qorveh sentenced Sarabi to one year’s imprisonment, 31 lashes and two years’ internal exile in Nikshahr, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, on charges of “disrupting public order and peace”.

In a separate case, Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Qorveh sentenced her to two years’ imprisonment on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security”.

Current Status

On 22 August 2026, Sarabi was arrested after being summoned to the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Qorveh.

After her flogging sentence was carried out, she was transferred to Sanandaj Women’s Prison (Juvenile Detention Centre). She spent several days in quarantine before being moved to the general ward.

Notes:

1. The January 2026 protests began in Tehran’s market on 1 January in response to the severe economic crisis and an unprecedented surge in currency exchange rates. From the first day, the demonstrations rapidly spread across Iran, with protesters chanting anti-government slogans. The protests peaked on 8 and 9 January and were met with widespread and unprecedented repression by the Islamic Republic’s military and security forces.

Thousands of people were killed or injured in different cities during the violent crackdown. Given the large number of people killed and arrested, the events have been described as nearly unprecedented in the history of the Islamic Republic. Although the authorities announced an official death toll of 3,117, human rights organisations and independent sources have said that the true number was considerably higher due to the nationwide internet shutdown and security pressure on the families of those killed.

2. Article 618 of the Islamic Penal Code: “Anyone who, through uproar, commotion, unconventional behaviour, or harassment of individuals, disrupts public order and peace or prevents people from engaging in their work, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of three months to one year and up to 74 lashes.”

3. 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).”