As Iranian authorities continue to prosecute women arrested during the January 2026 uprising and other detainees, several women have faced prison sentences, prolonged detention, or continued legal uncertainty. Among those affected in recent days are Kowkab Badaghi, Shadi Shadman, Mehregan Namavar, Shakila Ghasemi, Forouzan Ansari, and Astareh Ansari.
Appeal Court Upholds Prison Sentence for Kowkab Badaghi
Branch 18 of the Khuzestan Province Court of Appeals has upheld the one-year prison sentence imposed on Kowkab Badaghi Pagah, a history teacher and teachers’ union activist from Khuzestan.
Badaghi, a history teacher from Izeh, had previously been summoned before the Preliminary Administrative Violations Board of the Khuzestan Department of Education. In September 2025, the department’s Appeals Board also sentenced her to a three-month suspension from her teaching position.
Shadi Shadman Sentenced to Five Years in Prison
Shadi Shadman (Khadijeh), who was arrested during the January 2026 uprising and is currently detained in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to five years in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.
Shadman is the mother of a nine-year-old daughter and the sole provider for her household. Before her arrest, she worked as a tailor and pastry maker. She participated in demonstrations related to rising prices, inflation, and economic conditions during the January 2026 uprising.
She was arrested in front of her daughter. Following her detention, custody of the child was transferred to relatives living in Khorasan Province. During her seven months in detention, Shadman has been unable to visit her daughter because of the long distance and other practical obstacles.
Mehregan Namavar Arrested Before Beginning Prison Term
Mehregan Namavar, a poet from Dehdasht, was arrested by security forces in the city on Sunday, July 5, 2026. No information has been released regarding her whereabouts.
Her arrest came despite instructions requiring her to report to the Kohgiluyeh Prosecutor’s Office Enforcement Unit on July 15 to begin serving her prison sentence.
In March 2026, Branch 102 of the Kohgiluyeh Criminal Court sentenced Namavar to two years in prison on charges of spreading false information online with the intent to disturb public opinion. In a separate case, the Revolutionary Court of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, based in Kohgiluyeh County, sentenced her to an additional one year in prison on charges of attempting to undermine security and inciting killings through disturbing public opinion.
Namavar, born in 1988, is the mother of one daughter. She had previously been arrested in March 2025 and was later released on bail.
Shakila Ghasemi Remains in Legal Limbo in Kerman Prison
Shakila Ghasemi, a Baha’i resident of Kerman, remains in Kerman Prison 160 days after her arrest without any formal resolution of her legal status.
According to available information, prolonged detention and extended solitary confinement have caused severe psychological distress, resulting in repeated seizures. She has been transferred to the prison infirmary several times. Although her medical treatment is ongoing, authorities have not approved her request for medical leave.
Ghasemi, 26, was arrested at her home in Kerman on February 2, 2026. Before her arrest, security agents searched her home and confiscated electronic devices belonging to her and her family members. She spent approximately 47 days under interrogation at an intelligence detention facility operated by the Revolutionary Guard Corps before being transferred to solitary confinement in Kerman Prison. After nearly 100 days in solitary confinement, she was moved to the general ward.
At the time of publication, the reason for her arrest and the charges against her have not been disclosed.
Forouzan Ansari Sentenced to One Year in Prison
Forouzan Ansari, a theater actress from Bandar Abbas, has been sentenced to one year in prison by Branch 3 of the city’s Revolutionary Court on the charge of “propaganda against the state.”
She had previously been arrested on January 12, 2026, and was released on bail after approximately 10 days in detention.
Astareh Ansari’s Detention Continues
Astareh Ansari, a lawyer, has now been held in detention for 75 days.
One of the allegations brought against her is that she publicly offered to provide free legal representation to individuals arrested during the January 2026 uprising.
