October 14, 2026; In recent days, the Sanandaj Court issued a ruling on security charges against "Shahrzad Rezaei," a civil and women's rights activist and former detainee of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement and the January 2026 protests, demanding that she present herself for the execution of her sentence or continuation of judicial proceedings. This comes as the family was forced to leave Iran following repeated summonses, security force raids on their family home, attempts to arrest her two teenage children, and the fabrication of judicial cases against "Shahrzad Rezaei" and her husband, "Shaho Oskouei." Despite the government's full awareness of the family's forced departure from the country, security agencies have blocked their mobile phone numbers and bank accounts, making various attempts to force their return to Iran.

As part of documenting human rights violations and examining the dimensions of the suppression of civil and women's rights activists in Iran, the Kurdpa Human Rights Organization conducted an exclusive interview with Shahrzad Rezaei. The interview explores this family's history of civil and humanitarian activities—including assisting injured protesters, providing medicine and essential supplies to affected individuals—as well as their numerous judicial cases, arrests, convictions, torture, forced exile from Iran, and the pressure exerted by security agencies on her, her husband Shaho (Shahriar) Oskouei, and their two teenage children. This report also documents the family's legal and judicial records alongside the ongoing pressure and threats against them.

Summons to Serve Sentence and Another Attempt to Return the Family to Iran

In continuation of efforts by the judicial and government apparatus of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Sanandaj to return "Shahrzad Rezaei" and her family to Iran, a copy of a notice provided to Kurdpa reveals that Branch 4 of the Criminal Sentence Enforcement Office of Sanandaj County, on October 6, 2026, requested her to report to the Sentence Enforcement Unit of the Sanandaj Department of Justice within 30 days for "sentence execution or continuation of judicial proceedings" regarding a security case previously opened against her in the General and Revolutionary Prosecutorial Office of Sanandaj County. The charges against her include "assembly and collusion," "committing crimes against national security," "membership in opposition groups," and "propaganda against the system." The notice also states that if she fails to present herself within the specified timeframe, actions will be taken "in accordance with legal regulations."

Shahrzad Rezaei states: "Given the extrajudicial actions taken against my husband and me by the security and judicial agencies of Sanandaj County due to our past civil activities, it is not even clear what they mean by 'legal action.' Meanwhile, our family members in Iran are also under pressure, and these agencies are well aware that my family and I were forced to leave Iran due to repeated pressures and threats. Before our departure, they had issued a travel ban against us, and after our departure, our mobile phone numbers and all bank accounts were blocked. These agencies have also tried through various methods to coerce us into cooperation and force our return to Iran. Under these circumstances, the threat of 'legal action' could result in the issuance of heavy sentences against us."

During the January 2026 protests, on January 10, 2026, Shahrzad Rezaei was arrested during a raid by Sanandaj Intelligence Department forces on her family home without the presentation of a judicial warrant. After nearly one month of arbitrary detention, interrogation, and torture in an undisclosed detention facility of the Sanandaj Intelligence Department, she was temporarily released on a bail of 1 billion Tomans. During this period, Rezaei was deprived of the right to access legal counsel, family visits, and phone contact with her family members.

Following the temporary release of "Shahrzad Rezaei" and her husband, "Shaho (Shahriar) Oskouei"—who were both arrested simultaneously in January 2026—pressures and threats by security forces against them and their family continued. Security forces repeatedly summoned "Shahrzad Rezaei" and her two 16-year-old children and attempted to arrest them. In several instances, security forces raided their family home to arrest her and her children, but family members were not present at home. The continuation of these pressures and threats ultimately forced "Shahrzad Rezaei" and "Shaho (Shahriar) Oskouei," along with their children, into forced exile from Iran.

The Family's History of Civil and Humanitarian Activities:

  • During the "Woman, Life, Freedom" revolutionary uprising, the Rezaei and Oskouei family engaged in extensive humanitarian and civil activities, providing medicine and attending to injured protesters. Their activities were not limited to these measures; they also encompassed providing essential supplies for affected individuals and families, ranging from procuring clothing and powdered milk to preparing and distributing food. Alongside their civil activities, this family had been active in various humanitarian fields supporting vulnerable individuals over past years; however, due to this history of civil engagement, they faced repeated arrests, judicial convictions, summonses, interrogations, and threats from security forces.
  • During the January 2026 protests, members of this family again procured and prepared medication for injured protesters, successfully delivering a portion of these supplies to the wounded. However, after the family's forced departure from Iran, forces from the Sanandaj Intelligence Department raided their home and confiscated the prepared medical packages without legal authorization.
  • This family's humanitarian activities were not confined to protest periods. Over past years, members of the Rezaei and Oskouei family worked to provide basic necessities for homeless and vulnerable individuals. Shahrzad Rezaei was also active in combating addiction and aiding individuals struggling with substance abuse.
  • In addition to repeated arbitrary arrests and imprisonment sentences, Shahrzad Rezaei and her husband, "Shaho (Shahriar) Oskouei," were repeatedly summoned and interrogated in past years due to their environmental and civil activities in Sanandaj. Security agencies issued warnings and threats through various methods, demanding they refrain from participating in civil activities and public gatherings. Furthermore, these agencies repeatedly demanded that Shahrzad Rezaei and Shaho Oskouei cooperate with them.
  • Shahrzad Rezaei also faces a two-year deprivation of social rights. Travel bans had been issued against the family, and even after their forced departure from the country, their mobile phone numbers and bank accounts were blocked. These actions were taken while the family was forced to leave Iran due to continuous security pressures and threats, and they currently face threats of sentence execution and attempts to force their return.

Record of Arrest and Conviction of Shahrzad Rezaei During 'Woman, Life, Freedom':

  • Concurrent with the "Woman, Life, Freedom" revolutionary uprising, on September 27, 2022, Shahrzad Rezaei was arrested by security forces in Sanandaj and transferred to an undisclosed location. After nearly one week of arbitrary detention, she was released on bail.
  • Subsequently, on February 3, 2023, Branch 106 of the Criminal Court 2 of Sanandaj County, presided over by Judge Bahman Omidzadeh, sentenced her to two years of suspended imprisonment on the charge of "disrupting public order and peace" for participating in the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests in Sanandaj.

Record of Arrest and Conviction of "Shaho (Shahriar) Oskouei":

  • "Shaho (Shahriar) Oskouei," husband of Shahrzad Rezaei, is a well-known athlete in Sanandaj and a former political prisoner who has faced repeated arrests, judicial case fabrications, and prison sentences in past years.
  • On October 30, 2017, Shaho Oskouei, along with 27 others, was arrested due to public street celebrations in Sanandaj following the 2017 Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum, spending over 24 days in arbitrary detention. Following this arrest, Branch 2 of the Interrogative Office of the General and Revolutionary Prosecutorial Office of Sanandaj County opened a case against these 28 individuals. They were subsequently charged with "participation in propaganda against the system of the Islamic Republic of Iran through clamor and commotion," "disrupting public order through clamor and commotion," and "refusal to obey officers on duty," but were acquitted of these charges due to insufficient evidence.
  • On March 18, 2019, Shaho Oskouei was arrested by security forces without a judicial warrant. Following one month and 17 days of interrogation in a security detention facility of the Sanandaj Intelligence Department, he was transferred to Sanandaj Prison on May 4, 2019, and was released on bail after two months of arbitrary detention.
  • Afterwards, Branch 1 of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Saeedi, sentenced him to six years of discretionary imprisonment on the charge of "cooperation with opposition groups against the system." On December 11, 2019, the Kurdistan Province Court of Appeal reduced his sentence to two years and six months of discretionary imprisonment.
  • Subsequently, on December 23, 2019, Shaho Oskouei was summoned to the Sentence Enforcement Branch of the Sanandaj Court and was arrested and transferred to Sanandaj Central Prison to serve his sentence. He spent two years in Sanandaj Central Prison without being granted even a single day of furlough, ultimately receiving conditional release in March/April 2021.
  • Shaho Oskouei was also arbitrarily arrested during the initial days of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising on September 17, 2022, and spent a period in detention.
  • He was arrested arbitrarily once again during the January 2026 protests on February 2, 2026, held for 25 days, and subsequently released on bail. As repeated pressure and threats by the Sanandaj Intelligence Department against him and his family persisted, the family was forced into exile from Iran.

Sports History of the Rezaei and Oskouei Family:

  • Shahrzad Rezaei is a grappling martial arts coach and previously competed as an athlete in judo and wrestling. However, due to having a political record in Sanandaj, she was not permitted to work as a wrestling coach, prompting her to pursue coaching grappling martial arts in Saqqez.
  • "Shaho (Shahriar) Oskouei" is a champion and coach in wrestling, volleyball, and horseback riding, having earned championship titles at provincial and national levels.
  • The family's two 16-year-old teenage sons, named "Saro" and "Sako," compete in wrestling and have achieved championship titles at provincial and national levels. Even after their forced departure from Iran, these two teenagers have continued to participate in athletic competitions and secure first-place rankings.

Kurdpa Human Rights Organization:

Kurdpa strongly condemns the attempts by the judicial apparatus and security agencies of the Islamic Republic to fabricate cases, harass, and forcibly extradite civil activists, women's rights activists, and former political prisoners. The recent judicial action issuing security sentences and threatening notices against "Shahrzad Rezaei" and her family—under circumstances where security agencies are fully aware of their forced exile from the country—is a clear example of transnational repression and the expansion of intimidation tactics. Kurdpa warns that the continuation of these pressures, raids on homes, threats to arrest teenage children, blocking of bank accounts and communication lines, and efforts to drag this family back into the cycle of repression pose grave risks to their safety and security even outside Iran's borders.