Former political prisoner Shirko Tabnak arrested in Bukan, fate unknown

Hengaw – Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Shirko Tabnak, a former Kurdish political prisoner from Bukan, was arrested by agents of the Intelligence Department, and four days later his fate remains unknown.

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Intelligence Department forces raided Tabnak’s family home on Saturday, April 25, 2026, using violence and without presenting any warrant, before arresting the 38-year-old.

Tabnak has previously been arrested several times because of his political and civil activities. He had earlier been sentenced to prison on at least two occasions by the Iranian judiciary and was later released after completing those sentences.

Four days after his arrest, no clear information is available regarding the reasons for his detention, any charges against him, or his exact place of custody.