Sanandaj: Three Kurdish Women’s Rights activists summoned and threatened by Security Agencies Ahead of International Women’s Day

Hengaw: Thursday, March 6, 2025

Three Kurdish women’s rights activists from Sanandaj, who were previously detained during the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” (Women, Life, Freedom) movement, have been summoned by FARAJA (Iran’s Law Enforcement Command) ahead of March 8, International Women’s Day. Simin Chaychi, writer and poet, Soraya Khedri, and Bahar Zangiband were forced to sign written commitments and were threatened with consequences should they participate in or organize any gatherings related to the occasion.

According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on Thursday, March 6, 2025, the three Kurdish activists—Simin Chaychi, a poet and writer, Soraya Khedri, and Bahar Zangiband—were summoned by FARAJA following an order from the city’s prosecutor, Mohammad Jabari. They were coerced into signing pledges prohibiting them from attending or organizing events on Friday, March 8, in observance of International Women’s Day.

Soraya Khedri was previously arrested on September 20, 2022, by security forces at her home during the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement. She had also been arrested earlier, on September 13, 2018, for a brief period.

Bahar Zangiband was arrested on the same day, September 20, 2022, by security forces and was released after twenty days. A former physical education professor at the Islamic Azad University of Sanandaj, she was later barred from teaching by the university’s security department and government authorities.

Simin Chaychi was also arrested during the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” movement. She had previously been summoned by security agencies multiple times to prevent her participation in March 8 Women’s Day and Newroz celebrations.