Soleiman Choupani, Kurdish man from Piranshahr sentenced to prison

Hengaw: Sunday, December 8, 2024

Soleiman Choupani, a Kurdish resident of Piranshahr, has been sentenced to two years and seven months of imprisonment by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His arrest occurred during a wave of detentions marking the second anniversary of Jina Amini’s state-sanctioned killing.

According to a report obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Mr. Choupani, a resident of Gardeshkaneh village, was convicted by Branch 102 of the Piranshahr Criminal Court. He faced charges of “membership in the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan” and “propaganda against the state,” resulting in his sentencing to two years and seven months of imprisonment.

Mr. Choupani was arrested on Thursday, September 5, 2024, as part of a widespread crackdown on Kurds. Intelligence agents reportedly raided his home without presenting an arrest warrant and subsequently transferred him to the Intelligence Ministry’s detention center in Urmia.

On September 17, 2024, Mr. Choupani was moved to Naqadeh Central Prison, where he has remained in custody without access to temporary leave.

It is noteworthy that during his detention, Mr. Choupani was denied access to legal representation and family visits, raising concerns about violations of his basic rights.