Civil activist Parastoo Jamalzai detained to serve prison sentence

Hengaw – Friday, June 26, 2026

Parastoo Jamalzai, a 32-year-old civil activist from Arak, the capital of Markazi Province, has been detained and transferred to Arak Central Prison to begin serving her prison sentence. She was previously arrested during the January protests.

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, authorities detained Jamalzai this week after the verdicts against her became final and transferred her to the women's ward of Arak Central Prison.

In the latest case against her, Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Arak sentenced her to one year in prison on the charge of "propaganda against the state," along with a two-year ban on leaving the country.

The court also imposed supplementary punishishments, including the confiscation of her mobile phone in favor of the state, dismissal from public service, and a complete ban on any involvement in political parties, groups, or social organizations.

Meanwhile, authorities also activated a suspended sentence from a separate case before Branch 2 of the Arak Criminal Court. As a result, she must also pay a fine of 70 million tomans on the charge of "spreading falsehoods."

Jamalzai was violently arrested by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Organization on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, while traveling on the Tehran-Arak highway. She was detained at the entrance to Arak, held for one month of interrogation, and later released on bail pending legal proceedings.

She has previously faced multiple prosecutions by Iran's security agencies over her online activities, advocacy for women's rights, and support for the Woman, Life, Freedom (Jin, Jiyan, Azadi) movement.