Sahar Mahdi arrested in Saqqez as intelligence forces accuse her of espionage

Hengaw – Sunday, April 19, 2026

A young woman, Sahar Mahdi, has been arrested by Iranian intelligence forces in the city of Saqqez and transferred to a government detention facility. Her arrest was carried out on charges of “espionage.”

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Sahar Mahdi, a 32-year-old resident of Saqqez, was arrested on Thursday, April 16, 2026, during a raid by intelligence forces on her family home. She was subsequently taken to an undisclosed location.

Sources familiar with the case told Hengaw that security forces raided the residence without presenting any judicial warrant. Following her arrest, she was transferred to an unknown location, and no official information has been provided regarding her whereabouts or condition.

A source close to Mahdi’s family stated that authorities have brought the serious charge of “espionage” against her, and the judiciary has issued a two-month detention order.

According to the same source, government bodies have linked the accusation against Sahar Mahdi to the political activities of her brother, who is a member of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK). Authorities have justified her arrest on the basis of this family connection.