Arrest

Haji Barzeh, a Kurdish language teacher from Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan Province, and a member of the Bayan Kurdish Language Institute, was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence in Piranshahr on 8 May 2024 and taken to the ministry’s detention centre in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province.

After initial interrogation, he was transferred to Naqadeh Prison and later provisionally released on 27 May 2024 on bail of 25 billion rials (nearly 33,000 USD).

Judicial Process

In December 2024, the Second Criminal Court in Piranshahr, presided over by Judge Amir Mohammadi, sentenced Barzeh to five months in prison for “propaganda against the state” and fined him 150 million rials (nearly 2,000 USD) for “spreading false information”.

Current Status

On 18 December 2024, Barzeh was sent to Naqadeh Prison to serve his five-month prison sentence.

Notes:

1. Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code: “Anyone who engages in propaganda activities against the Islamic Republic of Iran or in favour of groups and organisations opposing the state, in any manner, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of three months to one year.”

2. Article 698 of the Islamic Penal Code: “Anyone who, with the intent to harm another person, disturb public opinion, or mislead official authorities, makes false statements or attributes actions contrary to the truth, either directly or indirectly, to an individual or legal entity, whether in a letter, complaint, correspondence, petition, report, or by distributing any kind of printed or handwritten materials, whether signed or unsigned, shall be sentenced to imprisonment from two months to two years or up to 74 lashes, regardless of whether the falsehood causes material or non-material harm to others. In addition to these penalties, if possible, the person’s reputation must be restored.”