In an interview with the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN), a source familiar with Hossein Kamangar‘s case announced the issuance of a 15 billion Toman bail for his release. The heavy bail was issued by the Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj while this Kurdish activist was kept in prison with no decision about his case since being arrested on December 6, 2018.
On July 7, 2009, his trial on charges of ‘Baqi’ (insurrection) through membership in a Kurdish opposition party was held at Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj, presided over by Judge Saeedi. Judge Saeedi informed Mr Kamangar that, given the large workflow provided by the Sanandaj Intelligence Office, his trial would probably be held in two sessions.
Due to the lack of sufficient evidence against this Kurdish activist, the Kamyaran Intelligence Office has been reportedly summoning and putting pressure on a number of former detained activists in the city in recent months in addition to bringing new charges against them.
Kamangar has only been able to visit his family once since February because prison officials have banned all face-to-face and cabin visits to the prison since late last year.
The arrest of this Kurdish civil activist in December 2018 coincided with the beginning of a wave of mass arrests of civil activists and members of the Kurdish branch of the National Unity Party in the cities of Sanandaj, Kamyaran and Marivan. KHRN had previously reported on the possibility of a new case against him by security agencies.
Security forces banned Hussein Kamangar from visiting and calling his family members for several months after his arrest. An informed source told KHRN in June last year that Kamangar had been under pressure from security institutions to make television confessions and endorse a “security scenario set by these institutions,” but he has refused to accept the alleged charges. Moreover, “Nasrin Naqdi” and “Nahid Kamangar”, the wife and son of this Kurdish activist, were also repeatedly summoned and interrogated by the Kamyaran Intelligence Office during this period.
He went on a hunger strike on July 18, 2019 in protest to the continuing uncertainty and deprivation of contact with his family. He finally managed to make a phone call to his family on August 8, ending his hunger strike.
Following pressure from the intelligence service, Borhan Kamangar, his niece and a member of “Coral” music band, was arrested on August 6. He was transferred from the ministry of intelligence detention centre in Sanandaj to Kamyaran Prison on October 22, after completing the interrogation process and issuing a temporary detention order. After two weeks of temporary detention, he was released on 500 million Tomans bail and was released on bail on 20 October.
Borhan Kamangar was finally sentenced to five years in prison by the Branch one of the Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj, headed by Judge Saeedi, on November 3, on charges of “membership in the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK).” The sentence was commuted to two years in prison after appealing in the Sanandaj Court of Appeal. He was sent to Sanandaj prison on March 19 to serve his two-year sentence.
Hossein Kamangar was transferred from the ministry of intelligence detention centre in Kamyaran to the prison of this city on August 10. Despite his transfer to Kamyaran Prison, he has been transferred to the Intelligence Office several times for interrogation and has been returned to prison.
On October 26, last year, despite providing a 500 million Toman bail for the temporary release of Hossein Kamangar and carrying out administrative procedures in the Branch two of the Kamyaran Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office, his release was prevented at the last minute with the intervention of the Sanandaj Intelligence Office.
