Arrest
Sohrab Avizkan was arrested by the Intelligence Organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on 19 November 2022 during the anti-government Women, Life, Freedom uprising in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province.
After his arrest, he was taken to the intelligence service’s detention facility in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province, where he was subjected to physical and psychological torture to extract forced confessions and was later transferred to Mahabad Prison.
During his detention, Avizkan was denied family visits and access to legal representation.
After several months, he was temporarily released on bail from Mahabad Prison.
Judicial Process
In May 2023, the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mahabad sentenced Avizkan to three years of imprisonment and three years of exile in Zanjan, Zanjan Province, on charges of “assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security” and “disturbing public order and peace”.
Current Status
Avizkan was re-arrested and sent to Mahabad Prison to serve his sentence after being summoned to the Enforcement of Judgements Office of the Mahabad Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office on 9 December 2023.
Additional Information
On 26 September 2024, he was sent on temporary leave from Mahabad Prison.
Notes:
1. Women, Life, Freedom Uprising: Jina Amini (Mahsa Amini), a 21-year-old Kurdish woman from Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, was arrested on a street in Tehran on 13 September 2022 by the morality police because of the way she was dressed. Shortly after her arrest, she was transferred to Kasra Hospital in Tehran with head injuries and symptoms of brain death, and passed away three days later on 16 September 2022. The government’s killing of Jina sparked unprecedented anti-government protests, which began with a large turnout at her funeral at Aichi Cemetery in Saqqez and quickly spread to many cities across Iran. These widespread protests against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which lasted for several months, resulted in at least 527 protesters being killed and thousands injured and arrested. The protests are known for their central slogan of “Women, Life, Freedom” (Kurdish: Jin, Jiyan, Azadi).
2. 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).”
3. 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.”
