Kurdish activist Sohaila Motaei arrested in Dehgolan as Women’s Day crackdown in Sanandaj widens

Hengaw: Monday, March 10, 2025

With the arrest of Sohaila Motaei, a Kurdish women’s rights activist, the number of female activists detained today in Sanandaj (Sine) and Dehgolan (Dewlan) has increased to three. Sohaila Motaei, was previously arrested during the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” (Woman, Life, Freedom) movement.

According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on the evening of Monday, March 10, 2025, Sohaila Motaei, a women’s rights activist was arrested by Intelligence Department forces in Dehgolan.

She is the third civil activist to be arrested in connection with her participation in the recent International Women’s Day event in Sanandaj.

Previously, on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, Sohaila Motaei was forcibly arrested in Sa’at Square, Dehgolan, and later released on a 200-million-toman bail after hours of interrogation.

During the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, she was arrested twice and subsequently sentenced to 60 months in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Dehgolan. After serving several months, she was released under an amnesty.

Earlier today, Baran Saeidi, a 45-year-old civil activist, was also arrested at her home by Intelligence Department forces, without a warrant and under coercive circumstances.

Later in the evening, Soma Mohammadrezaei, a 38-year-old civil rights activist, was detained at her workplace in Almas Shopping Center, Sanandaj.