Mahabad: 48 Days of Detention and Total Incommunicado for Khader and Clara Rasouli, Father and Sister of Karo Rasouli – Concerns Mount Over Khader Rasouli’s Health Condition
August 26, 2025 – 48 days have passed since the arbitrary and violent arrest of Khader Rasouli (born 1956) and Clara Rasouli (born 1988), two Kurdish citizens and father and daughter from Mahabad, by security forces. They continue to be unlawfully held in one of Urmia’s security detention centers, without access to legal representation, family contact, or any form of due process. Their family is deeply concerned about their fate and condition—especially as Khader Rasouli has undergone two heart surgeries in recent months, remains under medical supervision, and is currently denied access to vital medical care, placing his life at serious risk.
As previously reported by Kurdpa, at 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 10, 2025, a team from Urmia's intelligence services violently raided the Rasouli family home. They broke down the door, insulted and humiliated family members, and arrested Khader and Clara Rasouli without presenting a judicial warrant or informing them of any charges. They were then taken to one of Urmia’s security detention facilities.
Arbitrary Arrest Due to a Family Member’s Political Activity
A reliable source told Kurdpa that the arrests were not based on any specific legal accusation, but solely due to the political activities of Karo Rasouli, the son and brother of the detainees. Karo Rasouli is a political activist living in exile and a member of the Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan.
Past Security Pressures on Khader Rasouli
Over the past 22 years, Khader Rasouli has been repeatedly subjected to threats, summons, temporary detentions, and prison sentences. Previously, due to his son's political affiliations, he was arrested, sentenced to 5 years in prison, and subjected to various forms of social exclusion.
He has also been detained arbitrarily for several hours to one day on multiple occasions.
During the "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi" revolutionary uprising, security forces raided the family’s home, shot at the house once, and on two separate occasions, threatened to burn it down.
Threats of Forced Confessions and Media Exploitation
On July 20, 2025, media outlets affiliated with Iranian security agencies, without naming anyone specifically, announced that forced televised confessions concerning “the father of Karo Rasouli” would soon be aired. In this statement, Khader Rasouli was accused of “gathering information from military centers in Mahabad and sending it in exchange for money to his son.” This is a clear case of using torture and psychological pressure to extract fabricated confessions for propaganda purposes.
Based on the available evidence, the arrest of Khader and Clara Rasouli lacks any legal basis and appears solely motivated by their familial connection to a political dissident. This constitutes a clear case of arbitrary detention, collective punishment, denial of fundamental rights, psychological torture, and a blatant violation of Articles 9, 10, and 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The threat of forced confessions and denial of medical care also violate the UN Convention Against Torture.
Health Risks and Threat to Life
In recent months, Khader Rasouli has undergone two heart surgeries and requires continuous medical supervision. However, during the 48 days of his arbitrary detention, he has been completely deprived of necessary medical treatment, putting his life in grave danger.
