IRGC shoots and arrests Kurdish activist Hoshyar Shabani in Baneh

Hengaw – Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Hoshyar Shabani, a 31-year-old Kurdish civil activist and former political prisoner from Baneh, was arrested after being shot and seriously wounded by agents of the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He was subsequently transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, IRGC intelligence agents in the “Kani Sur” area of Baneh opened fire on Shabani’s moving vehicle on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. He was struck by three bullets in the legs before being taken into custody.

The severity of his injuries has raised serious concerns about his health while in detention.

Sources further reported that, within the past month, IRGC intelligence forces had made at least two unsuccessful attempts to arrest Shabani prior to this incident.

Shabani had previously been arrested and prosecuted in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022 for his civil activities, including participation in campaigns supporting kolbars (cross-border porters) and labor strikes. In two cases, he was sentenced to prison.