The whereabouts of Kamal Lotfi, the father of Reza Lotfi, one of the protesters killed during the anti-government uprising of Women, Life, Freedom in Dehgolan, Kurdistan Province, remain unknown ten days after his arrest.
Lotfi was recently sentenced to a total of five years in prison by the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Dehgolan.
On 9 April, Lotfi was arrested after being summoned to the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Qorveh, Kurdistan Province, and taken to an undisclosed location.
Since his arrest, the Kurdish civilian has been denied contact with his family.
Despite persistent efforts by Lotfi’s family to obtain information from the judicial and security authorities in Qorveh and Dehgolan, no updates on his situation have been provided.
Lotfi was previously convicted by the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Dehgolan on charges including “propaganda against the state”, “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran”, and “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran”, and sentenced to one, two and two years’ imprisonment respectively.
According to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code (Law on Consolidation of Sentences), the two-year sentence will become enforceable upon confirmation of the verdict.
Lotfi has appealed against the sentence and the case has been referred to the Kurdistan Province Court of Appeal for review.
Lotfi was first arrested on 16 April 2023 by security forces on a street in Dehgolan. He was initially taken to the Ministry of Intelligence in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, and after initial interrogation was transferred to Kamyaran Prison in Kurdistan Province.
In protest at his continued detention in Kamyaran Prison, Lotfi began a hunger strike on 18 May 2023.
After 87 days in detention, he was temporarily released on bail from prison on 3 July 2023.
In November 2023, Lotfi was summoned to Branch 102 of Dehgolan Criminal Court Two to stand trial on charges of “propaganda against the state”.
Lotfi’s 20-year-old son, Reza Lotfi, was killed by special forces during anti-government protests in Dehgolan on 19 September 2022.
After their son was killed, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threatened and pressured the family to give a television interview blaming the Kurdish opposition for their son’s death.
As the pressure continued, the father released a video announcing that his son had been shot by the military forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
