Amirhossein Afra receives prison term, flogging, and heavy fine in absentia

Hengaw – Friday, August 7, 2026

Amirhossein Afra, a Kurdish man from Ashkhaneh in North Khorasan province who was arrested during the wave of detentions following the January 2026 protests, has been sentenced in absentia by the Ashkhaneh Criminal Court to one year in prison, 74 lashes, and a fine of 645 million tomans.

According to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the verdict was communicated verbally to Afra in early August 2026. He has appealed the ruling.

Under the court's decision, Afra was convicted on charges of "disrupting public order and peace" and "disobeying law enforcement officers and engaging in a physical confrontation with them." He was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, 74 lashes, and a fine of 645 million tomans. The sentence was issued despite the fact that his trial was held in absentia.

Iranian security forces arrested Afra in March 2026 during the widespread crackdown that followed the January protests without presenting a warrant and transferred him to an undisclosed location. He was released on temporary bail after one week in detention.