The Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Hatem Ozdemir, a Kurdish political prisoner with Turkish citizenship, on charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh), the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. Ozdemir, who was sentenced to death in May by Branch Three of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province, has faced charges stemming from his involvement with the Kurdistan Workers’…
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Iranian authorities executed Sajjad Bandegi, a man convicted of drug-related offences, on 11 September in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, Alborz Province. The prisoner was transferred to solitary confinement for the execution on 10 September. Bandegi, a 35-year-old from Harsin, Kermanshah Province, was arrested in October 2015, along with another man, Foroud Geravand, on charges of drug trafficking. Geravand, from Kuhdasht in Lorestan Province, was executed in…
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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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Authorities in Hamadan Central Prison executed Saber Jamali, a 29-year-old prisoner from Kangavar in Kermanshah Province, on the morning of 1 September on charges of “premeditated murder”. Jamali was arrested three years ago and was subsequently sentenced to death by retribution in kind (qisas) for “premeditated murder”. Qisas or retribution in kind, gives the victim’s family the right to retaliate under Islamic law. According to statistics compiled…
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The second court session for Verisheh Moradi, a member of the East Kurdistan Free Women Society (KJAR) charged with “armed insurrection” (baghi), was postponed on 28 August due to the absence of both the prosecutor’s representative and a court advisor, marking another delay in the trial of the Kurdish political prisoner. This is the second postponement of Moradi’s trial. The previous session, scheduled for 4…
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Iran executed two prisoners, Meysam Hossein-Khani and Sirvan Aboubakri, convicted of “premeditated murder”, in Khorramabad and Mahabad this week, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. On 28 August, Hossein-Khani, from Kuhdasht in Lorestan Province, was executed in Parsiloun Prison in Khorramabad, Lorestan Province. He was arrested three years ago and was subsequently sentenced to death by retribution in kind (qisas) for “premeditated murder”. Qisas or…
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Iranian authorities executed Mohammad Khaled Jahangiri, a prisoner from Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province, on drug-related charges in Tabriz Central Prison, East Azerbaijan Province, on 22 August. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned that Jahangiri was transferred to solitary confinement for execution the day before. Jahangiri was a father of two from the village of Balu in Orumiyeh. According to statistics compiled by the KHRN, at…
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Iranian authorities today executed a prisoner, Mohammad Karamizadeh, in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, Alborz Province, after he was convicted of murdering his wife during a prison visit in 2019, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. On 18 August, the prisoner was transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for his execution. An informed source who spoke to Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) said: “Mohammad…
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Iranian authorities executed Nasser Geravand, a prisoner from Kuhdasht, Lorestan Province, on drug-related charges on 10 August in Parsiloun Prison in Khorramabad, Lorestan Province. Geravand was arrested several years ago and subsequently sentenced to death for drug-related offences. In the past three weeks, at least six prisoners from Kuhdasht have been executed in various prisons across Iran, including Bandar Abbas Prison, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj,…
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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.