Sanandaj: Zhina Modares Gorji, Detainee of the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” Movement, Released from Sanandaj Central Prison

Today, Monday, September 22, 2025, Zhina Modares Gorji, a journalist and women's rights activist and one of the detainees of the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” revolutionary uprising, was released from Sanandaj prison upon the completion of her sentence. During her 325 days of detention in Sanandaj prison, she was granted the right to leave only once.

This women's rights activist was arrested twice during the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” revolutionary uprising and was held for 124 days in detention and interrogation. In the preliminary court, she was sentenced to 21 years of discretionary imprisonment, which was changed to two years and four months in the appellate court.

On November 2, 2024, Zhina Modares Gorji was sent to Sanandaj Central Prison to serve her prison sentence. By publishing a post on her Instagram page, she wrote: “Today I am going to a prison where marginalization and discrimination are multiplied by three. Sanandaj women's prison. Marginalization and discrimination of gender, class, and nationality. Nevertheless, when I was preparing my belongings for prison, I put hope in my suitcase above all else. I go there with my hope.”

Ms. Modares Gorji had received a notice on October 22, 2024, from the Fourth Branch of the Criminal Sentences Enforcement Office of Sanandaj to implement the prison sentence.

The prison sentence of this journalist was changed by the Sanandaj Appellate Court from 21 years in prison to 28 months in prison. Based on this verdict, which was issued by the 4th Branch of the Sanandaj Appellate Court and notified to Ms. Modares Gorji's lawyer on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, she was acquitted of the charge of “collaboration with a hostile state” and sentenced to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the system” and to 16 months of discretionary imprisonment on the charge of “forming an illegal group and assembly with the aim of overthrowing the system.”

According to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code regarding multiple discretionary crimes, the most severe of these sentences, namely the 16 months of discretionary imprisonment for this women's rights activist, was enforceable.

On May 25, 2024, this journalist, detained during the revolutionary uprising, had been sentenced by the First Branch of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge “Mohammad Karami,” to 10 years of discretionary imprisonment on charges of “forming an illegal group and assembly with the aim of overthrowing the system,” 10 years of discretionary imprisonment for “collaboration with hostile groups and states,” and one year of discretionary imprisonment for “propaganda against the system,” of which 10 years were enforceable along with exile to Hamedan prison.

The instances of the charges brought against this women's rights activist were cited as: “establishing the Zhivano Association with a feminist ideology and the aim of overthrowing,” “purposeful participation in gatherings and expressing structure-breaking slogans,” “connection with counter-revolutionary elements,” “participation in international conferences and educational workshops,” and “publishing content in virtual space and conducting interviews with foreign media in order to blacken the country's situation and agitate the atmosphere of society during the sensitive period after the death of Mahsa Amini.”

It should be noted that the First Branch of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court relied on reports from the Ministry of Intelligence in attributing the aforementioned charges and finding Ms. Modares Gorji guilty. This court also considered the execution of the prison sentence for this women's rights activist in Sanandaj prison to be an instance of “security corruption” due to the “possibility of destructive security activities” and, based on Article 513 of the Criminal Procedure Law, ordered her to serve the conviction period in Hamedan prison.

On the other hand, regarding the charge of “publishing lies and inciting people to violent acts,” the First Branch of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court declared the Sanandaj Criminal Court 2 responsible for handling this case and sent it to that branch.

On Monday, July 3, 2023, Zhina Modares Gorji was temporarily released from the Sanandaj Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center after 84 days of temporary detention upon posting a bail of five billion Tomans.

In May 2023, the First Branch of the Interrogation Office of the Sanandaj Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office rejected the complaint of this women's rights activist against agents of the Kurdistan Intelligence Department regarding the deprivation of individuals' liberty, deprivation of rights stipulated in the Constitution, kidnapping, intentional assault and battery, and insulting ordinary persons, and issued a non-prosecution order for the Intelligence Department agents.

On April 29, 2023, the First Branch of the Interrogation Office of the Sanandaj Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office, presided over by “Alireza Faryabi,” rejected Ms. Modares Gorji's complaint due to a lack of sufficient reasons and evidence.

This women's rights activist was transferred from a solitary cell at the Sanandaj Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center to the general ward on May 10, 2023.

On Monday, April 10, 2023, Zhina Modares Gorji was arrested again by security forces in Sanandaj.

In the early stages of the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” revolutionary uprising, on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, this women's rights activist was arrested in a violent manner by security agents of the Intelligence Department on Safari Street in Sanandaj and, after 40 days of detention in the women's ward of Sanandaj prison, was temporarily released on October 30, 2022, on a bail of 100 million Tomans. The case interrogator had increased her bail to one billion Tomans.

Before her arrest, she had been summoned by the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC, and security forces had threatened her that if she participated in protest gatherings in the city of Sanandaj, “you will no longer see the sun.”