Kajal Vatanpour, a former political prisoner, holder of a master’s degree in law, and an activist in the fields of women’s and children’s rights, was arrested by forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the city of Gilan-e Gharb, Kermanshah Province (Kermashan), during the January protests.
According to Kolbarnews, on the evening of Thursday, January 8, 2026, Kajal Vatanpour, known as “Hasna,” from Gilan-e Gharb, was arrested by government forces and transferred to an unknown location, and so far no information is available regarding her fate.
Kajal Vatanpour had previously been arrested during the Jina revolutionary movement on September 21, 2022, at the entrance of the Child Park Library in Ilam while returning home, after being subjected to severe violence by security forces. In the fall of that year, she was sentenced to two years and six months of discretionary imprisonment on charges including “disruption of public order and security,” “propaganda against the regime,” and “assembly and collusion against internal and external security.” This sentence was later reduced on appeal to one year of discretionary imprisonment and six months of suspended imprisonment, a two-year travel ban, passport revocation, and mandatory free legal counseling.
After being summoned to the Enforcement of Judgments Branch of the Ilam Judiciary, Kajal Vatanpour was transferred to Ilam Prison on Saturday, January 28, 2023, to serve her prison sentence.
