Hana Human Rights Organization’s colleagues in Sanandaj have reported the arrest of Asad Ghafoori, a university professor and human rights activist, by security forces in the city.
According to available information, on Monday, January 20, 2025, Asad Ghafoori, a professor at Sanandaj’s Azad University, was detained by security forces without any prior summons or judicial warrant. He was transferred to secret security detention centers in the city.
It is also noteworthy that on Sunday, January 19, 2025, Aida Amouei, a civil and women’s rights activist, was similarly arrested without a judicial warrant by security forces in Sanandaj and transferred to an undisclosed location.
So far, no detailed information has been provided regarding the charges or accusations against these two individuals or the entities responsible for their detention. Despite some speculations linking them to the “management of the campaign to stop the execution of Pakhshan Azizi,” Hana cannot confirm these claims due to the risk of attributing unfounded allegations to these individuals.
Hana Human Rights Organization expresses its deep concern over the new wave of crackdowns on civil and human rights activists in Kurdistan. The organization demands the immediate and unconditional release of Asad Ghafoori and Aida Amouei, an end to arbitrary detentions in Kurdistan, and the safeguarding of detainees’ basic rights, including access to legal representation and contact with their families.