Urmia; 11 days of absolute lack of information regarding the fate of Farideh Ketabi, mother of Sareh Sedighi/ Deprivation of access to insulin, visitation, and a lawyer

April 6, 2026; Following the passage of 11 days since the arbitrary detention of a female citizen from the city of Urmia named "Farideh Ketabi Miandoab", mother of "Sareh Sedighi Hamadani", a queer community activist and former political prisoner, no information is available regarding her fate or place of detention, and she is deprived of the right to access a lawyer, medical services, and contact or visitation with her family.

"Sareh Sedighi Hamadani" told Kurdpa in this regard that she was informed that on March 27, 2026, her mother "Farideh Ketabi Miandoab" was arrested following a raid by security forces on her home, without the presentation of a judicial warrant and after a search of the house. According to her, since the time of the arrest, no information regarding the place of detention or fate of her mother has been available, and she has remained completely deprived of the right to access a lawyer, contact, and visitation with her family.

This former political prisoner, expressing deep concern over her mother's condition, acknowledged that she suffers from diabetes and requires regular and continuous insulin injections. The lack of information about her condition and the possibility of a lack of access to medical services has severely increased concerns regarding her life.

Sareh Sedighi Hamadani also says that so far, the reasons for her mother's detention remain unclear, and security forces have not provided any explanation in this regard.

In protest against this arbitrary detention, on the seventh day, Sareh Sedighi Hamadani started a sit-in and hunger strike in front of a diplomatic mission in the city of "Bonn", Germany, and this protest action continues until the publication of this report.

Sareh Sedighi Hamadani, a human rights and queer activist and former political prisoner, was sentenced to death in 2021 by the Urmia Revolutionary Court in connection with her activities in the field of "LGBT" (sexual and gender minorities) rights and for what was described by the Islamic Republic of Iran as "promoting homosexuality". Ultimately, after months of imprisonment and being held in solitary confinement, and after the overturning of the death sentence, she was released on heavy bail and reached a safe country on December 1, 2023.