Kurdish Women’s Rights Activists Held in Isolation After Arrest

Two Kurdish civil activists arrested in connection with International Women’s Day events have been transferred to quarantine cells at Sanandaj Central Prison and are being denied all forms of contact.

Leila Pashaei, 45, originally from Saqqez and now residing in Sanandaj, and Baran Saeidi, 45, from Sanandaj, were arrested on March 10.

Both women are reportedly being pressured to make forced confessions on camera.

The activists, who were also previously detained for their involvement in the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, have been denied access to legal representation, according to the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.

Since last week, they have also been prohibited from contacting their families while being held in the quarantine unit of the women’s ward at Sanandaj Central Prison.

Pashaei and Saeidi were arrested alongside two other Kurdish women’s rights activists, Soheila Motaei and Soma Mohammadzadeh, in Sanandaj and Dehgolan following their participation in International Women’s Day ceremonies.

Intelligence Department agents detained the women and transferred them to the agency’s detention facility in Sanandaj.

Motaei was released on bail on March 17, and Mohammadzadeh was released on March 19. Both were freed temporarily pending the completion of judicial proceedings.