Jamal Khodarahmi and Herash Nawgaran, two civil activists from Sanandaj, have been sentenced by the Islamic Republic’s judiciary, in two separate cases, to suspended prison terms and fines, according to information received by the Hana Human Rights Organization.
Khodarahmi was detained on January 4, 2026, after security forces raided his home in Sanandaj, and was released 25 days later on bail, pending the resolution of his case. Proceedings in his case concluded with a sentence of two years of suspended imprisonment and a fine of four million tomans, a verdict communicated to him in September/October 2026.
In a separate case, Herash Nawgaran, a civil activist from Sanandaj, was detained on January 25, 2026, after security forces entered his home. He has previously served a six month prison term at Sanandaj Central Prison. Hana has learned that, in another case, Nawgaran was sentenced to three years of suspended imprisonment.
The Hana Human Rights Organization voices serious concern over the prosecution, detention, and sentencing in both cases. Fundamental principles of Iran’s Code of Criminal Procedure, including the presumption of innocence, the requirement that any restriction of liberty rest on law, and the right to an effective defense, bind judicial authorities to observe fair trial guarantees. The Constitution, for its part, protects freedom of belief and the rights of individuals and peaceful assemblies.
These same requirements are reflected at the international level in Articles 9, 14, 19, and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Any restriction on liberty, expression, or civic activity must rest on a clear legal basis, answer a specific necessity, and be proportionate to whatever legitimate aim is claimed.
If these prosecutions were in fact grounded in the two citizens’ civic activity, expression of opinion, or peaceful participation, then imposing a criminal penalty, even in the form of a suspended sentence and a fine, cannot be reconciled with these requirements. A suspended sentence left standing, moreover, can leave a person exposed to enforcement for a long stretch of time and, in practice, cast a chilling effect over their civic activity.
The Hana Human Rights Organization calls for the full guarantee of Jamal Khodarahmi’s and Herash Nawgaran’s defense rights, and for an effective review of any sentence issued in connection with their peaceful exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms.