Iran has sentenced to death 27-year-old Kurdish prisoner from Orumiyeh Shahin Vasaf on charges of espionage for Israel, a reliable source told Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN). This is the first time a credible source confirms his death sentence, issued on 2 October 2023. Shahin Vasaf, along with another Kurdish citizen Naser Vasaf, was detained by the intelligence forces in Orumiyeh on 21 September 2022. They…
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Fatemeh Sheikhi, a 22-year-old civilian from Abdanan in Ilam province, has been sentenced to one year in prison for “insulting sacred beliefs,” with the court opting to suspend the sentence for two years. Sheikhi’s trial took place on 7 February in Branch 101 of Abdanan Criminal Court Two, presided over by Judge Mohammad Gholami, and the verdict was handed down to the civilian on 12…
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Seven Kurdish civilians and activists from Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, have been collectively sentenced to imprisonment, flogging, and additional penalties. The sentence was handed down by Branch 105 of the Saqqez Criminal Court Two, presided over by Judge Javad Mostafaei. The individuals, including Safa Aeli, the uncle of Jina Amini, Hiva Jahani, Sherko (Khaled) Hejazi, Hiva Tataei, Mohammad Azad Amini, Samira Ahmadi, and Omid Moghaddas, were…
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The Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, has sentenced seven Kurdish civilians and activists from Saqqez in a joint case. The individuals, including Safa Aeli, the uncle of Jina Amini, Hiva Jahani, Sherko (Khaled) Hejazi, Hiva Tataei, Mohammad Azad Amini, Samira Ahmadi, and Omid Moghaddas, were charged with offenses such as “assembly and collusion against domestic/external security”, “propaganda against the…
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Mohammad Khezrnezhad, a 45-year-old Sunni Kurdish cleric, has been sentenced to death and 16 years in prison by Branch Three of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province. The charges against him include “spreading corruption on earth” (efsad-e fel arz), “harming the territorial integrity or independence of the country”, and “propaganda against the state”. A source familiar with the case told the Kurdistan Human…
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Kurdish political prisoners Pezhman Fatehi, Mohsen Mazloum, Mohammad Faramarzi, and Vafa Azarbar, who have been sentenced to death, have had their request for a retrial rejected by the Supreme Court, according to their lawyer, Masoud Shamsnejad. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on 16 January, Shamsnejad said: “The request for a retrial on behalf of my clients Vafa Azarbar, Mohammad Faramarzi, Mohsen…
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A Turkish court in Hakkari, in south-east Turkey, has sentenced Kurdish environmental activist and former political prisoner Mahyar Ahmadi, from Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, to six years and three months in prison. The court charged Ahmadi with “membership of one of the Kurdish opposition parties”, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. Ahmadi was arrested on 12 September by Turkish border guards at the border between…
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The Special Clerical Court in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province, has sentenced Sunni Kurdish cleric Ebrahim Salimi to three years in prison on charges of “acting against national security” and “disturbing public opinion”. Salimi, the Imam of the Chahar Yar-e Nabi mosque in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan Province, was summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence in Piranshahr on 31 January and arrested for signing a statement in…
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Kurdish labour activist Foad (Sirous) Fathi has been sentenced to a total of four years in prison and supplementary penalties following his arrest by security forces in Tehran and transfer to Evin Prison on 4 November. The activist was tried on 2 December in Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, presided over by Judge Afshar, and he was informed of the verdict…
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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 September to 30 September.
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 five prisoners in September.
While four of these men were executed on charges of “premeditated murder”, one was executed for drug-related 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 7 September, a young woman was killed by her 70-year-old father over alleged “family disputes” in Ilam, Ilam Province.
Kolbars and tradesmen
In September, Fardin Rostamnezhad, a kolbar from Paveh, Kermanshah Province, died from his injuries almost 18 months after he was shot by border guards.
Additionally, at least three kolbars were injured by Iranian border forces; two were shot and one was beaten.
Detentions and arrests
Over the past month, Iranian forces have arrested at least 42 people, including activists, children, and members of dadkhah families (a Persian term used for victims’ relatives and survivors seeking truth and justice).
At least three of the detained civilians were sent to Naqadeh and Orumiyeh prisons to serve their sentences.
Sentences
In September, Iranian courts sentenced at least nine people to punishments ranging from fines to two years in prison.
Additionally, the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Hatem Ozdemir, a Kurdish political prisoner with Turkish citizenship, on charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh).