Arrest

Younes Mahmoudzadeh was arrested by security forces on 15 August 2022, on the Mirawa road in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, and taken to a security detention centre in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province, where he was subjected to physical and psychological torture to extract forced confessions. 

Ten days later, on 25 August 2022, he was transferred to Bukan Prison.

During his detention, he was denied the right to meet with his family and have access to a lawyer.

In mid-September, he was provisionally released on bail from Bukan Prison.

Judicial Process

In January 2023, Branch 101 of the Criminal Court of Bukan sentenced him to a total of three years and eight months in prison on charges of “acting against national security” through membership of one of the Kurdish opposition parties and “propaganda against the state”.

The sentence was later commuted to 30 months in prison by the Appeals Court of West Azerbaijan Province.

Current Status

On 12 December 2023, Mahmoudzadeh was sent to Bukan Prison to serve his sentence. 

In June 2024, he was released under electronic surveillance with an ankle tag.

Notes:

1. According to 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.”

2. 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.”