The Islamic Revolutionary Court in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province, has sentenced Kurdish civilian Nasser Bekrzadeh to death on charges of “espionage for Israel”, the Kurdistan Human Rights
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Keyvan Rahimi, a Kurdish media activist from Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, has been sentenced to eight months in prison by Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Saqqez on charges of
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Solmaz Hassanzadeh, the sister of Mohammad Hassanzadeh, a protester killed during the Women, Life, Freedom anti-government uprising in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, has been sentenced to one year
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Mostafa Hamdi, a media activist and administrator of the Porseman Telegram group, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison and 70 lashes by Branch 105 of the Second Criminal Court in Saqqez,
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Zahra Sajedinia, a Kurdish woman from Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for “propaganda against the state”. She was sentenced by Branch 101 of the Second
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Branch 101 of the Second Criminal Court in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, has sentenced Manizheh Khoshnoud, a civilian from Bukan, to 10 months in prison on charges of “propaganda against the
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Susan Hassanzadeh, a civil rights activist and Kurdish language teacher, has been sentenced to three months in prison by Branch 101 of the Second Criminal Court in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, on
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Zhina Modares Gorji, a journalist and prominent women’s rights activist from Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, has had her 21-year prison sentence reduced to two years and four months by an appeals
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Kurdish political prisoner Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heidaranlou has been sentenced to death after being tortured into confessing to involvement in clashes between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and
Read moreIn its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of Kurdish citizens 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 April to 30 April 2026.
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.
Detentions and arrests
In April, at least 12 individuals were arrested across West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, and Ilam provinces. Those arrested included two language teachers, while in 10 cases their specific activities remain unknown.
Of the total number of arrests, 10 were made in West Azerbaijan Province, one in Kurdistan Province, and one in Ilam Province.
Sentences
In April, Mohsen Eslamkhah, a 20-year-old Kurdish citizen who was arrested in connection with the “Women, Life, Freedom” uprising in Bukan, was sentenced to death on charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh) by Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mahabad.
Additionally, Branch 39 of the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Nasser Bakerzadeh, a 26-year-old Kurdish prisoner in Orumiyeh Central Prison; he was subsequently executed on 2 May.
Three PDKI members killed in IRGC attacks in Iraqi Kurdistan
On 17 April, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killed at least three members of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) in drone and missile strikes on civilian camps and party installations in Erbil Governorate, Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
The attacks took place despite a two-week ceasefire having been announced between the United States, Israel, and Iran, at the time, and killed Neda Miri from Sanandaj, Samira Allah-Yari from Divandarreh, and Shahin Azarbarzin from Piranshahr.