Iranian authorities arrest Kurdish woman Sirwan Shawla in Mahabad

Hengaw – Thursday, October 30, 2025

Sirwan Shawla, a Kurdish woman from Mahabad, has been arrested by forces of the Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic of Iran and taken to an undisclosed location. Her detention comes while her husband, Jalal Sadafi, remains in prison in a state of legal uncertainty.

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Shawla was detained at her home in Mahabad at dawn on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. Security forces reportedly carried out the arrest without presenting an arrest warrant.

Hengaw has learned that no information has yet been provided regarding the reasons for Shawla’s arrest, the charges against her, or her place of detention. Shawla had previously been summoned by security agencies and threatened with prosecution and case fabrication due to her activities.

Sadafi, the husband of Shawla, was arrested on December 15, 2024 during a raid by IRGC Intelligence forces on their home and subsequently transferred to Mahabad Prison. He remains held without clear legal proceedings or access to due process.