On 10 March, Iranian authorities detained four Kurdish women activists connected to International Women’s Day events in Kurdistan Province, specifically in Sanandaj. Leyla Pashaei and Soheyla Motaei were apprehended by intelligence agents in Saqqez and Dehgolan without warrants, and their current whereabouts remain undisclosed, as reported by the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN). Also, Soma Mohammadzadeh was arrested in her shop at Sanandaj’s Almas shopping centre and taken to a Ministry of Intelligence detention facility, while Baran Saedi was seized at her home in a similar manner.
Leyla Pashaei’s history of arrests includes a detention during the Women, Life, Freedom protests on 23 September 2022, from which she was released on bail shortly afterwards. Soheyla Motaei, similarly targeted during these protests, faced multiple arrests and, in December 2022, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for various allegations including “disturbing public order” and “propaganda against the state”. Although she was sent to a juvenile detention centre, she eventually received a judicial amnesty.
Furthermore, Motaei was again arrested following a general strike in January 2025, protesting the death sentences of Kurdish political prisoners but was released after a few hours. Mohammadzadeh has experienced continual harassment from security forces due to her activism, while Saedi was previously arrested during the same protests in September 2023, spending roughly two months behind bars before her release on bail.
On 10 March, Iranian authorities arrested four Kurdish women activists linked to International Women’s Day events. The detainees include Leyla Pashaei, Soheyla Motaei, Soma Mohammadzadeh, and Baran Saedi, all who have a history of prior arrests related to activism for women’s rights. The situation highlights a pattern of repression against political dissent and activism in Iran.
The recent arrests of the four Kurdish women activists highlight the ongoing repression faced by those advocating for women’s rights and political freedoms in Iran. With a history of prior detentions and legal challenges, these women exemplify the struggles encountered by activists under the current regime. Their brave stand during International Women’s Day events underscores the fight for equality and justice in a system that persistently silences dissent.
Original Source: kurdistanhumanrights.org
