Iran executes Kurdish prisoner of conscience after 14 years in prison

Kurdish prisoner of conscience Ayoub Karimi was executed today after 14 years in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, Alborz Province. On 21 November, Karimi…

Iran court sentences Sunni Kurdish cleric to 16 months in jail

The Special Clerical Court in Hamadan, in north-west Iran, has sentenced Sunni Kurdish cleric Hossein Ali-Moradi to 16 months in prison. Ali-Moradi, who is…

Iran executes three prisoners for charges related to drugs, murder

Prisoners Eghbal Fathollahi, Mohsen Emraei, and Shahram Mohammad-Beygi were executed today on charges related to “drug trafficking” and “premeditated murder” in Ghezel Hesar Prison…

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Monthly Report of October 2023

In its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of…

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Monthly Report of September 2023

This report includes all the cases that the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has recorded and reported from across Iran through its own sources…

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Kurdistan on anniversary of Jina Amini’s murder: Strikes, protests, state repression

Widespread general strike On 16 September 2023, coinciding with the first anniversary of Iran’s killing of Jina Mahsa Amini and the beginning of the…

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PUBLICATIONS

Extrajudicial Executions: Rebaz Salehivand Killing

Joint explanation of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (Network) and the “Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran (ABC): This case is a part of the collaborative documentation of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network intends to gradually document cases of extrajudicial executions of Kurdish citizens and activists. For this purpose, the network has…

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Extrajudicial Executions: Shahryar Mohammadi Killing

Joint explanation of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (Network) and the “Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran (ABC): This case is a…

Extrajudicial Executions: Farshad Chechani Killing

Joint explanation of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN, or Network) and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran (ABC, or Center):…

Extrajudicial Executions: Yahya Rahimi Killing

Joint Description of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Centre (ABC): This file is part of the joint documentary efforts…

Monthly Report of October 2023

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 October to 31 October.

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 based on a review of news and reports provided by the KHRN and a review of reports from other human rights organisations and news agencies.

Executions

According to KHRN’s findings, Iran executed at least nine prisoners on drug-related charges in the prisons of Hamadan, Rasht, Khorramabad, Karaj and Khoy during the month of October.

These are the executions the KHRN has been informed of by its sources. However, the number of those executed is likely to be higher.

Civilian killings

On 28 October, Iranian state news agencies reported that a 16-year-old girl, Armita Geravand, had died after spending 28 days in a coma in the intensive care unit of Tehran’s Fajr Hospital.

Geravand was transferred to a military hospital on 1 October, and numerous news reports stated that she had been physically assaulted by government agents on the Shohada line of the Tehran metro because of her hijab.

According to various reports, Geravand had “no vital signs” from the moment she was admitted to the hospital and remained in a coma throughout her stay.

The British newspaper The Guardian reported on 5 October, citing two eyewitnesses, that Geravand had been subjected to a “physical assault” by a female morality police officer in a metro carriage. According to one witness, the morality police officer ‘violently pushed her’ after an argument.

Additionally, Iranian security forces arrested at least 15 activists and civilians, including Mohammad Geravand, a relative of Armita Geravand, during the teenager’s funeral at the Behesht-e Zahra cemetery in Tehran on 29 October.

Femicide

At least four women have been killed by their male family members in Sardasht, Piranshahr, Bukan and Orumiyeh in the past month.

Kolbars and tradesmen

In October, at least three kolbars were shot dead and 13 others injured by Iranian border guards in the western border areas of the country.

Landmine explosions

On 17 October, Peshawa Aliyar, a civilian from Baneh, was killed by a landmine explosion in Sulaimaniya, Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Work-related accidents

On 20 October, Martin Hossein-Panahi, a 16-year-old child labourer, was killed in a factory accident in Sanandaj.

Detentions and arrests

Throughout October, Iranian forces arrested at least 29 activists and civilians, at least two of whom were imprisoned.

Prison sentences

Last month, Iranian courts sentenced at least 11 people to prison terms ranging from four months to 10 years.

Also, civilian Gholamreza Rasaei and Kurdish political prisoner Nayeb Askari were sentenced to death.

Askari, who was previously sentenced to death in absentia by the Branch Two of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province, on charges of “armed insurrection” through membership of the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), was sentenced to death again following a retrial request and several in-person court sessions at the same branch.

  • Executions
  • Civilian killings
  • Femicide
  • Kolbars
  • Landmine explosions
NameFromCharged withExecution dateExecution locationExplanation
1Hossein BahremandRabat, SardashtDrugs11 Oct Hamedan
2Hossein MohammadiBukanDrugs12 Oct Lakan, Rasht
3Yasser GolzardianKuhdashtDrugs17 OctKhorramabadExecuted after about 6 years of imprisonment
4Sajjad MoradiDrugs17 OctKhorramabad
5Fathollah RashnoKuhdashtDrugs19 OctKhorramabad
6Vahid KakavandKuhdashtDrugs19 OctKhorramabad
7Khosrow NaghianiKuhdashtDrugs22 OctKaraj Central Penitentiary30 years old, executed after about 5 years of imprisonment
8A. M.Drugs24 OctKhoy
9Khalil MohammadiHarsinDrugs30 OctKhorramabad
NameLocationDateExplanation
1Armita GeravandTehran28 Oct16-year-old girl, beaten by morality police and died after 28 days in a coma
NameLocationDateExplanation
1Shahin EbrahimzadehSardasht5 Oct21 years old, suffocated by father and uncle
2Truskeh AbdollahzadehPiranshahr14 Oct21-year-old victim of child bride, suffocated and beaten to death bu father and uncle
3Sima AbbasiBukan21 OctAllegedly burnt herself for family disputes
4Vida Dehghan PiranjoughOrumiyeh24 OctKilled by brother
NameFromIncident locationIncident dateDied/InjuredExplanation
1Rahman JamshidiPavehNowdasheh1 OctInjuredShot by border guards
2Mohammad KhalediBanehHangeh-ye Zhal, Baneh1 OctKilledShot by border guards
3Fayegh Ali-MohammadiSaqqezBastam, Saqez4 OctInjuredShot by border guards
4Mowloud BishirPiranshahrDelavan, Piranshahr5 OctInjuredShot by border guards
5Safar RostamiSarpol-e ZahabHangeh-ye Zhal, Baneh7 OctInjuredShot by border guards
6 Amir KarimiSarvabadAnjiran, Marivan7 OctInjuredShot by border guards
7Mohsen ValiollahiJavanrudNowsud, Baneh9 OctInjuredShot by border guards
8Behrouz MoradiSalas-e BabajaniPaveh12 OctInjuredShot by border guards
9Emad MahmoudiSalas-e BabajaniPaveh12 OctInjuredShot by border guards
10Hedayat GhaderiSalas-e BabajaniPaveh12 OctInjuredShot by border guards
11Kamal AshtariBukanHangeh-ye Zhal, Baneh15 OctInjuredShot by border guards
12Farid Vatani RasoulMarivanNashkash village in Marivan18 OctKilledShot by border guards
13Zanko GohariBanehHangeh-ye Zhal, Baneh23 OctInjuredShot by border guards
14Mohsen AbdollahiBanehKileh border, Baneh24 OctKilledShot by border guards
15Sarvar SharifiBanehKileh border, Baneh28 OctInjuredShot by border guards
16Erfan MoradiJavanrudNowsud, Baneh30 OctInjuredShot by border guards
NameIncident locationIncident dateDied/InjuredExplanation
1Peshawa AliyarSulaymaniya, Kurdistan Region of Iraq17 OctDied25 years old, from Baneh