Kurdish couple transferred to Hamedan prison after weeks in detention, face satellite internet charges

Hengaw – Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Iranian authorities have transferred a Kurdish couple, Zeinab Azizi and Sirvan Amini, to Hamedan Central Prison more than a month after their arrest.

According to information obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the couple, from Sanandaj, were initially detained by intelligence forces in mid-March 2026 and were recently moved from a security detention facility to the central prison in Hamedan.

Sources close to the family said the two have not been allowed in-person visits since their arrest and have only made three brief phone calls under strict supervision. They have also been denied access to legal counsel, and their legal status remains unclear.

Authorities have accused the couple of using satellite internet equipment, specifically the Starlink system.

The arrests come amid increased pressure on people using alternative communication methods during recent internet disruptions linked to the ongoing conflict.

The couple were arrested on March 7, 2026, at their home in Sanandaj by plainclothes agents without a warrant and with the use of violence.