According to information received by HANA Human Rights Organization, Khalil Rasouli, a Kurdish citizen from Bojnurd who was wounded and subsequently arrested during the nationwide protests of January 2026, has been sentenced by judicial authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran to a total of eight years in ta’zir imprisonment, 80 lashes, and two years of internal exile to Khash.
The sentence was issued and communicated to him in recent days by judicial authorities in Mashhad. Khalil Rasouli was tried and sentenced in connection with a case linked to the January 2026 protests, on charges of “incitement to riot,” “propaganda against the state,” and “destruction of public property.” According to information received, his family has stated that despite the multiple charges in this case, the presiding judge, rather than applying only the harshest penalty, insisted on the cumulative enforcement of all the punishments listed in the verdict.
Khalil Rasouli was wounded by gunfire from security forces during the January 2026 protests and was subsequently arrested. This Kurdish political prisoner is currently serving his sentence at Mashhad Central Prison (Vakilabad Prison). According to reports received, throughout his detention, interrogation, and trial, he was denied effective access to legal counsel, and he currently lacks access to adequate medical care.
Expressing concern over the handling of Khalil Rasouli’s case, HANA Human Rights Organization believes that his lack of effective access to independent legal counsel, the failure to fully observe the fundamental guarantees of fair trial, and the reliance on documents and reports from security agencies throughout the prosecution and trial process raise serious questions about the compatibility of these proceedings with the requirements of Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and recognized standards of international human rights law.