Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN): A Kurdish civilian, “Sarah Zahmatkesh”, was arrested by Security forces in Paveh. “Sara Zahmatkesh, 24, and a resident of Tin village of Paveh was arrested by a team of security forces on Apr 22, 2019, at her shop in Paveh and she was transferred to an unknown location” a reliable source told KHRN. However, her family is still unaware of the…
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Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN): Maghboleh Sakanvand, a Kurdish civilian from Mako who was detained three months ago, is still in prison. According to information obtained by KHRN, this young woman, who was a member of the opposition parties, was arrested after her return to Iran despite her family coordination with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) which was informed of her return prior her…
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In recent weeks, a large number of civil, political, labour, and women activists in Sanandaj, including Simin Chaichi- poet and women’s rights activist- Seyyed Khaled Hosseini and Mozafar Salehania- labour activists and members of the Coordinating Committee for the creation of labour organisations- have been summoned and interrogated by the security agencies affiliated with the Intelligence Ministry, IRGC and the Law Enforcement Force. According to…
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Kurdish Human Rights Network (KHRN): A prisoner, Zahra (surname not revealed) was beaten by Khoy Prison agents and chained to an iron bar for 5 hours as punishment. According to the information obtained by KHRN, a 25-year-old woman from Khoy was arrested on Sunday, February 24, in one of Khoy’s central streets under the pretext of what the officers called “Bad Hijab”. She was transferred…
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Sima Moradi from Salmas was sentenced to nine months in prison on charges of membership in one of the Kurdish parties. Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has been informed that this Kurdish civilian was arrested by security forces in Salmas late last fall and transferred to Orumiyeh Central Prison. She was interrogated for 48 hours at the Ministry of Intelligence Detention Centre in Orumiyeh. She was…
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Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN): During the last nine months, 98 child marriages have been registered in Ilam province according to Zahra Hemmati, the Director of Welfare Organization of this province. “98 child marriages under 15 years old have been registered in different cities of the province of Ilam in the last 9 months although this figure has decreased compared to the previous year’s figure…
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Zeynab Jalalian, a Kurdish political prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment, was once again deprived of weekly visits with her family by the Ministry of Intelligence. Meanwhile, Khoy Prison authorities still deny her access to the necessary medical care. “On Monday, December 24, Khoy Prison officials informed her that she would be deprived of weekly visits with her family until further notice as instructed by the…
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Nashmil Ghoytasi from Mahabad was sentenced to one-year of discretionary imprisonment by branch one of Orumiyeh Military Court on charges of acting against national security. She was arrested earlier in April and released on bail a month later. Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has been informed that Nashmil Ghoytasi, wife of the death row Kurdish political prisoner, Arsalan Khodkam, was arrested by Islamic Revolutionary Guards…
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Authorities of Khoy Prison have seized the personal belongings including blankets, personal clothes, books and booklets of the Kurdish political prisoner known as Zeynab Jalalian without providing any specific reason. “Several inspectors of Khoy Prison visited Women’s Ward on the morning of Nov 28, 2018, inspected Zeynab Jalalian’s beds and seized all her personal belongings including blankets, clothes, books and booklets. Giving her several blankets,…
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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 October to 31 October.
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 based on a review of news and reports provided by the KHRN and a review of reports from other human rights organisations and news agencies.
Executions
According to KHRN’s findings, Iran executed at least nine prisoners on drug-related charges in the prisons of Hamadan, Rasht, Khorramabad, Karaj and Khoy during the month of October.
These are the executions the KHRN has been informed of by its sources. However, the number of those executed is likely to be higher.
Civilian killings
On 28 October, Iranian state news agencies reported that a 16-year-old girl, Armita Geravand, had died after spending 28 days in a coma in the intensive care unit of Tehran’s Fajr Hospital.
Geravand was transferred to a military hospital on 1 October, and numerous news reports stated that she had been physically assaulted by government agents on the Shohada line of the Tehran metro because of her hijab.
According to various reports, Geravand had “no vital signs” from the moment she was admitted to the hospital and remained in a coma throughout her stay.
The British newspaper The Guardian reported on 5 October, citing two eyewitnesses, that Geravand had been subjected to a “physical assault” by a female morality police officer in a metro carriage. According to one witness, the morality police officer ‘violently pushed her’ after an argument.
Additionally, Iranian security forces arrested at least 15 activists and civilians, including Mohammad Geravand, a relative of Armita Geravand, during the teenager’s funeral at the Behesht-e Zahra cemetery in Tehran on 29 October.
Femicide
At least four women have been killed by their male family members in Sardasht, Piranshahr, Bukan and Orumiyeh in the past month.
Kolbars and tradesmen
In October, at least three kolbars were shot dead and 13 others injured by Iranian border guards in the western border areas of the country.
Landmine explosions
On 17 October, Peshawa Aliyar, a civilian from Baneh, was killed by a landmine explosion in Sulaimaniya, Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Work-related accidents
On 20 October, Martin Hossein-Panahi, a 16-year-old child labourer, was killed in a factory accident in Sanandaj.
Detentions and arrests
Throughout October, Iranian forces arrested at least 29 activists and civilians, at least two of whom were imprisoned.
Prison sentences
Last month, Iranian courts sentenced at least 11 people to prison terms ranging from four months to 10 years.
Also, civilian Gholamreza Rasaei and Kurdish political prisoner Nayeb Askari were sentenced to death.
Askari, who was previously sentenced to death in absentia by the Branch Two of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province, on charges of “armed insurrection” through membership of the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), was sentenced to death again following a retrial request and several in-person court sessions at the same branch.