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Monthly Report of March 2025

In its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of Kurdish civilians in different regions and cities across Iran.

 

This report includes all cases recorded and reported by KHRN from across Iran through its own sources and verification mechanisms from 1 March to 31 March.

 

The restrictive environment for independent human rights organisations in Iran, coupled with the pressures faced by individuals subjected to human rights violations and their families, make it difficult to publish accurate and comprehensive reports.

 

It is therefore important to note that the statistics and information presented in this report do not cover all cases of human rights violations. This report is the result of examining news and reports published by the KHRN and fact-checking of reports published by other human rights organisations and news websites.

 

Executions

 

Iran executed a prisoner, Arshad Farzadband, on charges of “premeditated murder” in Orumiyeh Central Prison in March.

 

*Explanation: The KHRN, recognizing the fundamental right to life, publishes and records news and execution statistics without regard to the ethnic background of individuals and the location of the execution. All cases reported to the organisation by credible sources are published after thorough fact-checking.

 

Kolbars

 

In the second half of March, at least one man was killed by Iranian border forces and another died in a road accident while working as a kolbar in the border areas of Baneh and Salas-e Babajani.

 

Civilian killings

 

In March, a civilian, Mohammad Hosseinzadeh, was killed by Iranian police in Orumiyeh.

 

Deaths in prisons and detention facilities

 

During this period, Kamran Kazemi, a 38-year-old Kurdish man from Kermanshah, died in suspicious circumstances in the Criminal Investigation Department detention centre in Orumiyeh.

 

While police officials have attributed his death to suicide, fellow detainees claim that he was tortured to death by officers.

 

Detentions and arrests

 

In March, Iranian forces arrested at least 59 people, at least two of whom were sent to prison to serve their sentences.

 

Sentences

 

During this period, Iranian courts sentenced at least two political prisoners, Hatem Ozdemir and Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heidaranlou, to death on charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh) and “armed insurrection” (baghi), respectively.

  • Executions
  • Kolbars
  • Civilian killings
  • Deaths in prisons and detention facilities
  • Detentions and arrests
  • Sentences
NameFromCharged withDate of ExecutionLocation of Execution
1Arshad FarzadbandOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan ProvincePremeditated murder16 MarOrumiyeh Central Prison
NameFromKilled/DeathDate of IncidentLocation of IncidentExplanation
1Sina RostampourBaneh, Kurdistan ProvinceKilled20 MarBaneh, Kurdistan ProvinceShot by border forces
2Shahab KarimiSalas-e Babajani, Kermanshah ProvinceDied31 MarSalas-e Babajani, Kermanshah ProvinceRoad accident
NameFromDate of IncidentLocation of IncidentOrganisationExplanation
1Mohammad HosseinzadehOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province29 MarOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceIranian police
NameFromCharges/accusationsDate of IncidentLocation of IncidentExplanation
1Kamran KazemiKermanshah, Kermanshah ProvinceTheftMarOrumiyeh Central PrisonCause of death reported as suicide, but some have said he died from torture
NameFromActivityDate of ArrestLocation of ArrestLocation held and latest status
1Arezou JalilzadehSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceTeacher3 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
2Peyman EsmaeilpourBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian4 MarBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
3Mahmoud NaderiSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian4 MarSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
4Behrouz FarhangBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian4 MarBukan, West Azerbaijan Province.
5Mojtaba VeysiKermanshah, Kermanshah ProvinceYarsani Civilian4 MarKermanshah, Kermanshah Province.
6Seyyed Fakhreddin TaheriPiranshahr, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian8 MarPiranshahr, West Azerbaijan Province.
7Baran SaediSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivil rights activist9 MarSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
8Soma Mohammad-RezaeiSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivil rights activist9 MarSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceReleased on bail
9Leyla PashaeiSaqqez, Kurdistan ProvinceWomen’s rights activist10 MarSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
10Soheyla MotaeiDehgolan, Kurdistan ProvinceWomen’s rights activist10 MarDehgolan, Kurdistan ProvinceReleased on bail
11Rahman AhmadiBaneh, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian12 MarBaneh, Kurdistan ProvinceImprisoned to serve 3 years in Baneh prison
12Foad KeshavarzSaqqez, Kurdistan ProvinceArtist15 MarSaqqez, Kurdistan Province.
13Mohammad DanyaliAbdanan, Ilam ProvinceCultural activist15 MarIlam, Ilam ProvinceImprisoned to serve 2 years in Ilam prison
14Masoud KhezriOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian15 MarOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan Province.
15Salman PasangPiranshahr, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian15 MarPiranshahr, West Azerbaijan Province.
16Aboubakr KhatamiOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian16 MarOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan Province.
17Matin (Behzad) ChoupaniOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian16 MarOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan Province.
18Hadi JameiOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian16 MarOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan Province.
19Sarah AhmadiOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail after a few hours of detention
20Evin AhmadiOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail after a few hours of detention
21Rozhbin AfsounOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail after 24 hours of detention
22Shakar OmarzadehSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian, child19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
23Bryar MohammadianiSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian, child19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
24Aram AliSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
25Kamal GhazaniSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
26Rahim GhaderiSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
27Kamran GhazaliSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
28Osman OmarnezhadSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
29Shirzad SheikhiSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
30Behzad MaslahatSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
31Behrouz HamzehpourSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
32Mohammad HosseinpourSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
33Rahim AhmadzadehSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
34Mohammad AhmadpourSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian19 MarSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceReleased on bail
35Tahsin DadrasMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceFormer political prisoner21 MarMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceReleased on bail
36Mohammad NikpeyMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian21 MarMarivan, Kurdistan Province.
37Aram NikpeyMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian21 MarMarivan, Kurdistan Province.
38Mohammad AshtakMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian21 MarMarivan, Kurdistan Province.
39Belal DadrasMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian21 MarMarivan, Kurdistan Province.
40Seyfollah Khan GhaffariSaqqez, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian22 MarSaqqez, Kurdistan ProvinceReleased on bail
41Chalak PirouziMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian22 MarMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceReleased on bail
42Kaveh DastanMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian22 MarMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceReleased on bail
43Mohammad GhaderiMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian, child22 MarMarivan, Kurdistan Province.
44Mahmoud NaderiSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian22 MarSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
45Keyhan TadbiriMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian, child22 MarMarivan, Kurdistan Province.
46Asaad Baba-KaramiSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian22 MarSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
47Shno MohammadiSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivil rights activist23 MarSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
48Saheb (Arivan) ShakeriSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivil rights activist23 MarSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
49Sirvan HatamiSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian23 MarSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
50Shirvan HeidariSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian23 MarSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
51Edris HeidariSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian23 MarSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
52Mostafa HozhabriSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian23 MarSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
53Keyvan MinouiMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceCivil rights activist and Kurdish language teacher23 MarMarivan, Kurdistan Province.
54Behzad DafeiMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceDoctor and former political prisoner23 MarMarivan, Kurdistan Province.
55Karvan DafeiMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceCivil rights activist23 MarMarivan, Kurdistan Province.
56Sheikh Zahed ShahabiSaqqez, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian24 MarSaqqez, Kurdistan Province.
57Omid MowloudianBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian25 MarBukan, West Azerbaijan Province.
58Kourosh FathiBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian27 MarBukan, West Azerbaijan Province.
59Mohammad-Ali AzariNaqadeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian28 MarOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province.
NameFromType of ActivityCharges AgainstSentenceDate of SentenceIssuing CourtExplanation
1Hatem OzdemirKurdish civilian with Turkish citizenshipPolitical activistsEnmity against God (moharebeh)Death penalty15 MarBranch 39 of Supreme CourtRequest for retrial rejected
2Hamid Hosseinnezhad HeidaranlouChaldoran, West Azerbaijan ProvincePolitical prisonerArmed insurrection through PKK membershipDeath penalty26 MarBranch Nine of Supreme CourtDeath penalty upheld