Dehloran: Kurdish Political Prisoner Kianoush Cheraghi Sentenced to 13 Months and 16 Days in Prison and 40 Lashes
On August 19, 2025, Kianoush Cheraghi, a Kurdish political prisoner from Dehloran and one of those arrested during the Jin, Jiyan, Azadi uprising, was sentenced by Branch 101 of the Criminal Court Two of Dehloran, presided over by Judge Masoud Ghasemi, to 13 months and 16 days of discretionary imprisonment and 40 lashes on charges of “insulting officials and agents” and “spreading false information on social media.”
According to a source who spoke to Kurdpa, and based on the verdict dated August 16, 2025, Cheraghi was convicted of “publishing falsehoods against state officials through social media (on his Instagram account)” and sentenced to 13 months and 16 days in prison, with credit for time already served. He was also sentenced to 40 lashes for “insulting a law enforcement officer while on duty.” The flogging is scheduled to be carried out at the Criminal Enforcement Office of the Dehloran Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office.
The verdict is appealable within 20 days of notification at the Appeals Court of Ilam Province.
Most Recent Arrest Related to This Case
On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, Kianoush Cheraghi was arbitrarily arrested without a warrant by security forces and transferred to the Intelligence Department’s detention center in Ilam — just one month after being conditionally released from Mahpareh Prison in Ilam, following the suspension of a previous sentence.
Upon this latest arrest, Cheraghi launched a dry hunger strike in protest against the one-month pre-trial detention order, his arbitrary and uncertain status, and the fabricated charges brought against him. On Friday, June 27, 2025, it was reported that Cheraghi had been denied access to basic necessities and humane conditions. He was being held in quarantine with 15 individuals accused of murder, and had been denied access to legal counsel.
Previous Convictions and Prison Time
In October 2023, Kianoush Cheraghi was sentenced to one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime.”
In November 2023, he received an additional two-year prison sentence and a complementary punishment of writing a 200-page research paper, for “spreading false information on social media.”
In May 2024, Cheraghi was conditionally released by decision of security and judicial authorities.
Case Against Akram Sabzi, Wife of Kianoush Cheraghi
On June 24, 2025, Akram Sabzi, wife of Kianoush Cheraghi — who had previously been sentenced to three months in prison for “propaganda against the regime” (later reduced to an 8.5 million toman fine and a suspended sentence) — received a new official summons.
The notice stated that if the same offense is repeated, the previously suspended sentence and fine will be enforced. It also included new charges, such as:
“Insulting government agents while on duty”
“Aiding the escape of an accused person” during the raid on the family home by security forces.
She was additionally sentenced to pay 2.5 million tomans in fines, to be settled within five days.
Other Kurdpa Reports on Kianoush Cheraghi:
Hunger strike after his transfer to Darreh Shahr Prison and lack of response to his legal demands.
