Susan Hassanzadeh, a civil rights activist and Kurdish language teacher from Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, has 17 years of experience teaching Kurdish in Bukan and its surrounding villages.

Over the years, she has been repeatedly summoned and interrogated by security forces due to her activities.

Arrest

Hassanzadeh was beaten and arrested by security forces on a street in the city on 15 May 2024 and was taken to solitary confinement in Orumiyeh Central Prison.

During her detention, she was taken to the Ministry of Intelligence detention centre in Orumiyeh for daily interrogations and then returned to solitary confinement each night.

On 12 June, she was provisionally released on bail of 8 billion rials (nearly 16,000 USD).

While in custody, she was denied family visits and access to legal representation.

Judicial Process

Her trial was held on 8 October 2024, at Branch 101 of the Bukan Criminal Court Two on charges of “propaganda against the state” and “membership of anti-state groups”.

The trial proceeded without her chosen lawyer and she was sentenced to three months in prison for “propaganda against the state” while being acquitted of the charge of “membership of anti-state groups.”

Current Status

On 26 November 2024, Hassanzadeh was sent to Orumiyeh Central Prison to serve her 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 499 of the Islamic Penal Code: “Anyone who joins one of the groups, associations, or branches of the associations mentioned in Article 498 shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of three months to five years, unless it is proven that they were unaware of the group’s objectives.”