Saqqez Prison; Hoshiar Shabani Released on Bail After 6 Months of Arbitrary Detention

July 13, 2026; Hoshiar Shabani, a civil activist and political prisoner from Baneh who has a history of multiple arrests and convictions, was temporarily released from prison on bail after more than 6 months of arbitrary detention following his most recent arrest in January 2026. Widespread groups of his friends and relatives, including the mother of Mohammad Hassanzadeh—a slain victim of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" (Jin, Jiyan, Azadi) revolutionary uprising—gathered to welcome him upon his release.

An informed source confirmed the news to Kurdpa, stating: "Hoshiar Shabani," a civil activist and political prisoner from Baneh, was temporarily released from the Central Prison of Saqqez on Monday, July 13, 2026, after 6 months and 3 days of arbitrary detention spent across the prisons of Sanandaj and Saqqez, upon submitting a bail of 3.5 billion Tomans.

According to this source, concurrent with his release, a group of his friends and relatives, including the mother of Mohammad Hassanzadeh, went to welcome him.

Hoshiar Shabani was arrested on Saturday, January 10, 2026, during a raid by security forces on his home in the city of Baneh without a judicial warrant, and was transferred to an unknown location. After being detained for a few days in Baneh at an undisclosed location, he was transferred to the Central Prison of Sanandaj, and in recent weeks, he was moved to the Central Prison of Saqqez.

An informed source previously told Kurdpa that Hoshiar Shabani had been interrogated once again by Intelligence Department agents in recent weeks. According to this source, his case files had been destroyed during an attack on the Baneh Intelligence Department, and security forces were attempting to build a new case against him. Furthermore, security forces had repeatedly opposed his temporary release and bail requests; however, following the conclusion of the recent interrogations, his temporary release was ultimately approved.

Hoshiar Shabani has a history of multiple arrests and convictions since 2017 and has consistently been subjected to pressure, threats, and pursuit by security agencies. A comprehensive report of his prior history of detentions and convictions was previously published by Kurdpa.

A Brief Overview of Hoshiar Shabani's Detention and Conviction History:

2025/2026:

On August 20, 2025, Hoshiar Shabani, a civil activist and former political prisoner from Baneh, was directly shot and wounded by three bullets to his leg by Intelligence Department forces during an arrest operation, resulting in his arbitrary detention. He was held for 53 days in the security detention centers of Sanandaj and subsequently in Baneh Prison without access to a lawyer or family visits. Despite his gunshot wounds, he was deprived of proper medical care. During this period, the Kurdpa Human Rights Organization warned against the risk of torture, forced confessions, and the violation of his right to medical treatment. He was eventually released temporarily from Baneh Prison on October 11, 2025, upon posting a bail of 2.4 billion Tomans. Prior to his arrest, security forces had repeatedly raided his home and his relatives' residences since July 2025, threatening family members in attempts to apprehend him.

2023:

In September 2023, security forces built a case against him by raiding his home. In November 2023, he was summoned to the Public and Revolutionary Court of Baneh on charges of "propaganda against the state." Furthermore, on December 14, 2023, security forces searched his family home, subjecting his family to pressure and threats to hand him over.

2021 to 2023:

Hoshiar Shabani was arrested without a judicial warrant on August 26, 2021, and was interrogated for 81 days in the detention center of the Baneh Intelligence Department. Due to torture, he suffered gastric bleeding and was transferred to a hospital under security measures, yet he remained deprived of family visits and access to a lawyer. He was released on bail on November 14, 2021. Subsequently, the Revolutionary Court of Saqqez (sitting in Baneh) sentenced him to one year of discretionary imprisonment on charges of "propaganda against the state," while acquitting him of the charge of "collaboration with a Kurdish party." The execution of eight months of this sentence was suspended for five years, and he was mandated to report periodically to the Intelligence Department. On February 7, 2023, he was arrested to execute the sentence and transferred to Baneh Prison.

2017 to 2019:

Due to his civil activities, including supporting Kolbars and participating in merchant strikes, Hoshiar Shabani was arrested, tried, and imprisoned several times during the years 2017, 2018, and 2019. The final instance of this period occurred on October 14, 2019, when he was arrested by intelligence forces and subjected to enforced disappearance for a period, during which his family was left entirely unaware of his fate and place of detention.