The Special Clerical Court in Hamadan in western Iran sentenced Sunni Kurdish cleric Seyyed Jalal Akbari to two years suspended imprisonment on charges of “propaganda against the state” on 10 May. Akbari, the imam of a mosque in the village of Degagah in Sarvabad, Kurdistan province, was tried on 10 May and was informed of the court’s decision on the same day. Since late March, the…
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The interrogation session of the Kurdish journalist Ejlal Ghavami was carried out at Branch 5 of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Sanandaj, Kurdistan province, on 11 September. Ghavami is accused of “propaganda against the state”. Reportedly, the Prosecutor’s Office cited some of the journalist’s writings and his signature on several statements as examples leading to this accusation. After the investigation session, Ghavami was temporarily released…
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At the same time as the intensification of the Iranian military forces targeting kolbars in the country’s western border areas, the Intelligence Organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance in Sardasht, West Azerbaijan province, have threatened admins of Telegram news channels over publishing information on the shootings. In the past week, Iran’s Border Guard Command forces…
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Iranian security forces have arrested dozens of Kurdish civilians and activists during and after the annual Newroz (also Nowruz in Persian) celebrations in Kurdistan in the past few weeks. The security agencies of the Islamic Republic of Iran have summoned and interrogated dozens and warned them against holding Newroz celebrations in public. The Intelligence Organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Ministry of Intelligence,…
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Iranian Cyber Police (FATA) has summoned and interrogated today Kurdish journalist and environmental activist Mohammad Mamandzadeh in Sardasht, West Azerbaijan province. FATA summoned the journalist on the Sardasht public prosecutor’s orders over publishing an article on the Bzhwen telegram channel about water cuts and a project to transfer water from the Littel Zab River. The Kurdish activist was released after interrogation and pledging. In recent days, Rabat…
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The Yarsan Civil Rights Activists’ Advisory Council said in a statement that a group of its members, along with several other Yarsani activists, have gone on hunger strike yesterday for 48 hours in support of and in solidarity with Kheyrollah Haghjouyan, a detained member of the council. Haghjouyan had gone on hunger strike since his arrest on 28 June, protesting against his detention. He continues…
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Sources of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) in various cities of Iranian Kurdistan report that a score of civilians have been summoned and interrogated by security agencies over the past month for allegedly publishing information in favour of boycotting the upcoming presidential election. According to these sources, in the past month, the offices of the Ministry of Intelligence and the Intelligence Organisation of the…
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Iranian intelligence agencies have summoned more than 50 Kurdish activists in many Kurdish cities before Newroz celebrations, threatening them and banning the celebrations. Every year on 20 March, Kurds in different regions celebrate Newroz (known as Nowruz in Persian) by lighting fire and dancing. But as in the years before, the Intelligence Office and the Intelligence Organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have…
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After announcements were made on social media that Nowruz (also Newroz in Kurdish) would be celebrated by lighting fire on Taragha mountain of Bukan and Roush mountain of Saqqez, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) blocked the roads leading to these mountains, preventing people from participating in the celebrations. In an interview with the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN), a civil rights activist from Bukan…
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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 May to 31 May.
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 at least 15 prisoners in May, nine being on drug-related charges and six on charges of “premeditated murder”.
The majority of these executions took place in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, Alborz Province.
*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.
Femicide
At least four Kurdish women were reported to be victims of femicide in May. Two were killed by their husbands, one by her son-in-law and one by a suitor.
All four cases occurred in Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province, and the method of murder in all cases was gunshot.
Kolbars
Last month, at least three kolbars were shot dead by Iranian border guards in the border areas of Kurdistan and Kermanshah provinces, while two others were wounded in the border areas of Kurdistan Province.
Detentions and arrests
In May, Iranian forces arrested at least 27 people, six of whom were sent to prison to serve their sentences.
According to the information obtained by the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN), at least seven of the remaining 21 detainees were released on bail, while the situation of the other 14 remains unknown.
Sentences
During this period, Iranian courts sentenced at least seven people to prison sentences ranging from eight months to two years.
Also, the Supreme Court rejected the second appeal for a retrial of Hatem Ozdemir, a Kurdish political prisoner with Turkish citizenship, and upheld his death sentence.
Ozdemir was sentenced to death in May 2024 by Branch Three of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province, presided over by Judge Najafzadeh, on charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh). In September 2024, Branch Nine of the Supreme Court upheld the sentence.
With this latest rejection, Ozdemir’s execution is now even more imminent.
Additionally, in May, Branch 31 of the Court of Administrative Justice upheld the dismissal of Somayyeh Akhtar-Shomar, a 37-year-old Kurdish teacher from Marivan, Kurdistan Province, with 17 years of service.
The original decision to dismiss the Kurdish teacher was taken on 17 March 2024 by the Primary Disciplinary Committee of Civil Servants in Kurdistan Province.