Following the pressure from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence on Kurdish political and civil activists, 6 media and environmental activists from Mahabad were summoned by this security agency and released after several hours of interrogation. “On Saturday, December 29, six media activists and environmental activists of Mahabad, Herman Vatmani, editor-in-chief of the Tahlil-e-Haje, Pola Axaz and Pejman Ismailnejad, reporters of the afore-mentioned news site, Pexshan Qalandari,…
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Three environmental activists, members of the Kurdistan branch of National Unity Party in Kamyaran, were arrested by security forces and transferred to an unknown location on Monday, December 31. A reliable source in Kamyaran told Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) that security forces simultaneously raided Hadi Kamangar’s home and the shop of Reza Asadi and Fazel Qeitasi, members of the environmental committee affiliated with the…
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Arman Ghafouri, a civil activist detained by security forces in Mariwan on July 24, 2018, was temporarily released on bail after four months of arrest. Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has been informed that Arman Ghafouri, a student of Payam Noor University and a member of the Chiyay sabz Association of Mariwan, was temporarily released on bail from Mariwan Prison on Monday, December 10. He…
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The fate of a Kurdish Environmental Activist, Kaveh Babamoradi who was arrested on June 20, 2018, is still uncertain. This detained activist is held at the Ministry of Intelligence detention Centre in the city of Sanandaj. Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has been informed that he had been able to call his family several times during more than 6 months of detention. However, he has not…
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Sahar Kazemi, an environmental activist temporarily released on bail on Nov 24, 2018 in order to attend the funeral of her father, was returned to Sanandaj Correctional Center after a week. Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has been informed that Sahar Kazemi was summoned to the Sanandaj Provincial Court on Sunday, Dec 2, 2018 after a week of temporary release to attend his father’s funeral…
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Voria Khosravi and Sahar Kazemi, two environmental activists who were detained earlier by security forces in Sanandaj, were temporarily released on bail in order to attend the funeral of their parents. Mahvash Amiri, the mother of Sahar Kazemi, was also released from the Intelligence Ministry’s Detention Facility in the city of Sanandaj after an order for prohibition of prosecution was issued for her. Kurdistan Human…
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Although the manoeuvre of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) known as Muharram 2 in Shaho mountain areas of Kamyaran has finished about 45 days ago, the IRGC troops have continued bombarding a large area of Shaho mountain between Ravansar and Kamyaran. Moreover, IRGC road construction operations in Shaho have put the protected areas in serious danger. An environmental activist has told Kurdistan Human Rights Network…
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The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Kamyaran has Interrupted the operation of phone lines across the Shaho Mountain and has turned the area into a military garrison through widespread deployment of military forces. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has been informed that the IRGC has Interrupted all landlines across Shaho mountain in Kamyaran for the past our days and IRGC forces have been…
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Five environmental activists, called Arman Ghafouri, Sahar Kazemi, Kaveh Babamoradi,Varia Khosravi and Shawgar Golabi who were arrested by security forces in the cities of Sanandaj and Marivan, are still detained by the Ministry of Intelligence and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) but their fate is unknown. An environmental activist, in Sanandaj, who wished to stay anonymous for security reasons, has told Kurdistan Human Rights…
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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.