November 1, 2026; In recent days, "Pouria Saeedi," a 30-year-old Kurdish youth from Sanandaj and one of the detainees who spent more than 3 months in arbitrary detention during the "39-Day War between the US, Israel, and the Islamic Republic of Iran," was sentenced to 3 years of suspended imprisonment and a fine on charges of "propaganda against the system" pursuant to the law intensifying punishments for this charge.

An informed source confirmed this news to Kurdpa, stating that "Pouria Saeedi" was sentenced by one of the branches of the Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj to 3 years of suspended imprisonment and a fine on charges of "propaganda against the system" based on regulations governing the intensification of punishments for this offense. These regulations provide for heavier penalties up to Grade 4 imprisonment as well as fines for this charge.

According to Kurdpa's informed source, the court hearing for this fabricated security case was held without him enjoying the right to retain legal counsel of his own choosing; the judicial authority informed him that he did not have the right to select retained legal counsel and was required to choose one of the court-appointed public defenders designated by the government. Pouria Saeedi chose not to have any public defender represent his case.

"Pouria Saeedi" was arrested without a judicial warrant by security forces on March 18, 2026, amid the 39-Day War between the US, Israel, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and was transferred to an undisclosed location. Following more than three months of arbitrary detention, he was temporarily released on bail in June 2026. According to the Kurdpa source, during his more than three months of arbitrary detention, he was permitted to make only a few brief phone calls and was deprived of access to legal counsel and family visits.

The arrest of "Pouria Saeedi" was among the cases that had not been previously reported in the media, and the news of his arrest and sentencing is being published for the first time.

The intensification of punishments for the charge of "propaganda against the system" stems from the law passed in February 2021 through the addition of Article 500-Bis to Book Five of the Islamic Penal Code. Under this article, if propaganda activities against the system are conducted in favor of opposition groups and organizations via media channels, cyberspace, or structured organization, this charge—which previously carried a sentence of three months to one year of imprisonment—becomes subject to heavier penalties, including Grade 4 imprisonment and fines. This amendment has enabled Revolutionary Courts to issue heavier prison sentences in such cases.