Four January protest detainees remain at risk of heavy sentences in Saqez
Hengaw – Friday, May 29, 2026
Four Kurdish residents of Saqez, including a 17-year-old child, continue to face an uncertain legal fate months after being arrested during the January protests. Documents obtained by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights indicate that prosecutors have sought the maximum possible punishment against them.
The detainees are identified as Aras Azizi, 17, Hazhir Shahnazi Ilo, Artin Kalhor, and Aryan Othmani, a kickboxing athlete and provincial champion. All four were arrested during the January 2026 protests in Saqez and transferred to the city's central prison.
Hengaw has learned that Aras Azizi and Aryan Othmani were temporarily released in recent days after posting heavy bail, while Artin Kalhor and Hazhir Shahnazi Ilo remain detained in Saqez Central Prison. All four face security-related charges that could result in lengthy prison terms or other severe penalties.
Documents obtained by Hengaw show that Aras Azizi, the 17-year-old child, has been charged with “disrupting the country's security,” “acting against national security,” and “collaborating with elements affiliated with the Zionist regime by manufacturing Molotov cocktails to create unrest.”
Hengaw has further learned that Azizi was subjected to pressure by Iranian security institutions and was allegedly forced to make self-incriminating confessions.
According to the documents, Hazhir Shahnazi Ilo has been accused of “creating a security crisis through the deliberate manufacture of Molotov cocktails in line with the objectives of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK).” Authorities further allege that the party maintains direct links to Mossad and claim that Shahnazi Ilo acted under the direction of one of its members. Prosecutors have reportedly sought the maximum punishment against him.
The charges were reportedly brought by the Saqez Intelligence Department. Their nature, particularly under the current circumstances, has heightened concerns about the fate of the detainees, the course of their cases, and the possibility of heavy sentences being issued.
