Saman Karimi and Farzaneh Rashidi, a Kurdish couple from Baneh, were violently arrested and, despite two weeks passing, remain incommunicado without access to a lawyer or family.
Arrest of Saman Karimi and His Wife in Baneh
Iran Human Rights Society, June 8, 2025 – Two weeks after the arrest of Saman Karimi, a former political prisoner sentenced to death, and his wife Farzaneh Rashidi, no information is available regarding their status, place of detention, or the reason for their arrest.
Amid a new wave of suppression targeting political activists in Kurdish regions, Saman Karimi, a former political prisoner previously sentenced to death, and Farzaneh Rashidi, his wife and a student at Payam-e Noor University in Baneh, were detained by security forces and transferred to an undisclosed location. More than two weeks after their arrest, no details about their whereabouts or health have been provided to their family or the public.
According to informed sources, Saman Karimi has not had any contact with his family since his arrest, while Farzaneh Rashidi was able to make one brief phone call to her family. This situation has raised serious concerns about their physical and mental well-being.
Violent Arrest in Public and at Home
According to available information, the couple was detained on May 25, 2025, in Baneh by agents of the Intelligence Ministry. Saman Karimi was first arrested violently on a city street, and shortly afterward, security forces stormed their family home and detained Farzaneh Rashidi.
The couple’s family remains unaware of the detaining authority, their place of detention, possible charges, or the judicial process ahead. No official warrant or notification was issued prior to their arrest, which constitutes a clear violation of the principle of lawful detention.
Saman Karimi’s Case History: From Death Sentence to Imprisonment
Saman Karimi was previously arrested on November 8, 2018, by the IRGC Intelligence Organization and transferred to a detention center in Sanandaj. On November 12, 2019, Branch 1 of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death and 11 years of imprisonment on charges of “enmity against God through membership in the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan.”
In September 2020, the Supreme Court overturned the death sentence due to flaws in the investigation and unlawful judicial
process, remanding the case to the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court. Karimi was subsequently released from prison, and on July 17, 2021, Branch 4 of the Kurdistan Province Appeals Court sentenced him to 9 years of imprisonment: 4 years for membership in the Democratic Party of Kurdistan, 4 years for conspiracy against national security, and 1 year for propaganda against the state. Under the law of combined sentences, only 4 years were enforceable.
Concerns Over Repeated Suppression of Kurdish Activists
Saman Karimi’s re-arrest, despite the annulment of his death sentence and legal release, highlights the ongoing repressive policies against Kurdish activists. These policies often involve security pressures, unlawful detentions, and denial of basic rights.
Violent arrests, detention in undisclosed locations, prevention of phone calls or family visits, and lack of judicial transparency are clear violations of human rights.
The families of Saman Karimi and Farzaneh Rashidi have expressed deep concern to human rights sources. Farzaneh Rashidi made only one brief phone call without disclosing her location, while Saman Karimi remains completely incommunicado. No official institution has provided answers regarding their fate.
Human Rights Violations in the Detention of Saman Karimi and Farzaneh Rashidi
Based on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which outlines fundamental rights for detainees, several serious violations have occurred in the case of Saman Karimi and Farzaneh Rashidi:
Article 9 – Right to Liberty and Security of Person
Detention without a judicial warrant, lack of information about the reason for arrest, and detention in an undisclosed location violate this article. Every individual must be protected by law, and arrests must be justified and follow legal procedures.
Article 14 – Right to a Fair Trial
Denying Saman Karimi and Farzaneh Rashidi access to a lawyer, family contact, and information about charges violates the principle of a fair trial. The right to defense, awareness of charges, and appearance before an independent and impartial court are integral to this article.
Article 10 – Humane Treatment of Detainees
Every detainee must be treated with human dignity. Violence during arrest and denial of basic rights constitute inhumane treatment.
The detention of Saman Karimi and Farzaneh Rashidi once again draws attention to the systematic suppression of political activists in Kurdish regions. Complete lack of information, violent arrests, denial of responsibility by security institutions, and lack of access to legal rights all point to an entrenched pattern in the Islamic Republic’s repressive apparatus, which sacrifices justice, transparency, and human rights for security-driven policies.
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