Mohsen Esfandiari-Tabar and Lotfollah Parviz, two Kurdish civil rights activists from Gilan-e-Gharb, Kermanshah Province, have been provisionally released on bail after being detained for several weeks, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. Esfandiari-Tabar, a 38-year-old navy lieutenant colonel, was released on bail of 10 billion rials (nearly 20,000 USD), while Parviz, a 48-year-old teacher, was released on a 20-billion-rials bail (40,000 USD) on…
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The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) and 25 other human rights organisations have issued a joint statement condemning the death sentence handed down to Kurdish woman activist Pakhshan Azizi. The groups call for the immediate cancellation of the sentence and Azizi’s release. Expressing “deep concern” about the fate of political prisoners facing death sentences in Iran, the letter reads in part: “We strongly condemn the issuance…
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The Iranian authorities executed Feyzollah Hosseinpour and Soleyman Ghahremani, two prisoners convicted of “premeditated murder”, on 9 September in Miandoab Prison in West Azerbaijan Province. The two men were transferred to solitary confinement on 8 September in preparation for their executions. They were sentenced to death after being found guilty of “premeditated murder”, a crime punishable by qisas, which gives the victim’s family the right to…
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Security forces have arrested at least nine more Kurdish civilians in recent days as the authorities intensify their crackdown ahead of the second anniversary of the Women, Life, Freedom uprising. Kurdish civilian Rashed Advaei was arrested this morning without a warrant by security forces at his home in the village of Selin in Sarvabad, Kurdistan Province. On 8 September, security forces raided the home of Kurdish…
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Kurdish asylum-seeker Behzad Khosravi, a member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), has been handed over to Iranian authorities after being detained by security forces in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, according to his family. Khosravi, who had been living in the Kurdistan Region since 2014, was arrested on 18 August. His family learned of his extradition through a phone call from the Ministry…
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The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has launched a new section of its database of political and religious prisoners, marking the 10th anniversary of the organisation’s founding. Known as “Hiwa”, the initiative aims to document the cases of Kurdish political and religious prisoners and detainees in Iran. In its initial phase, Hiwa features the names and details of more than 100 individuals, providing an overview of…
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Security forces arrested Kurdish civilian Soleyman Choupani during a raid on his home in the village of Gerd Kashaneh in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan Province, on 5 September. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned that the Ministry of Intelligence raided Choupani’s home and arrested him without a warrant. Choupani’s current whereabouts and the charges against him remain unknown. The arrest comes at a time of heightened…
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Security forces arrested Kurdish civilian Saadoun Sharifi on 4 September in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan Province, as part of a wider wave of arrests targeting Kurdish civilians ahead of the second anniversary of the anti-government Women, Life, Freedom uprising. Sharifi was arrested without a warrant after security forces raided his family’s home in the village of Gard Aseh in Piranshahr and taken to an undisclosed location,…
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Four Kurdish civilians from Mahabad and Oshnavieh in West Azerbaijan Province have been arrested by security forces in recent days and taken to an undisclosed location. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned that on 4 September, Loghman Zangi and his son Siamand Zangi were arrested in the village of Kani Sorkh, while Diako Azizi was arrested in the village of Bab Khalawi, both…
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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 August to 31 August.
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
According to KHRN’s findings, Iran executed at least 14 prisoners in August, including Reza Rasaei, a 35-year-old Kurdish Yarsani civilian who was arrested during the Women, Life, Freedom anti-government uprising.
The political prisoner was executed on 6 August and his family and lawyer were not informed in advance, nor was he allowed a final meeting with his family.
The remaining 13 prisoners were executed on drug or murder charges.
*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
On 26 August, an 18-year-old woman, Mobina Zeynivand, was killed by her father in the village of Gorz-e Langar in Darreh Shahr, Ilam Province.
Zeynivand’s 56-year-old father killed his daughter and surrendered to the judicial authorities, citing “family disputes” as the reason for the murder. She was reportedly killed for trying to marry the person she loved.
Kolbars and tradesmen
In August, at least two kolbars were killed and nine injured by gunfire from Iranian border and security forces.
Additionally, one kolbar was injured due to falling from border heights in Marivan, Kurdistan Province.
Detentions and arrests
Over the past month, Iranian forces arrested at least 17 individuals, including activists and religious figures.
At least four of the detained civilians were sent to Naqadeh, Orumiyeh, Mahabad and Bukan prisons to serve sentences.
Sentences
In August, Iranian courts sentenced at least five people to prison terms ranging from six months to eight years and 10 months.